During the 2000–01 season under Carlo Ancelotti, Tudor had a prolific year, scoring six goals. The following season, with the return of his former Juventus coach Marcello Lippi, he was occasionally deployed as a midfielder, scoring four crucial goals (one against Torino in the Turin derby, two goals in Juventus' comebacks against Chievo and Hellas Verona and one during the match against title contenders Internazionale) in Juventus's successful Serie A title campaign. The following season, he also scored a notable goal against Deportivo de La Coruña in the last minute of a second round match of the 2002–03 Champions League, allowing the club to progress to the quarter finals of the competition, en route to the final, in which they were defeated by Italian rivals Milan on penalties.