Don't be confused by the 1-0 scoreline, this was a comprehensive victory in which we dominated long periods of the game but were again frustrated by a great goalkeeping performance by Buffon.
Juventus spurned the first clear chance of the game when Pavel Nedved missed an open goal after the surprisingly recalled Steve Harper had miscued his clearance.
But Lomana Lua Lua and Alan Shearer wasted good first half chances, before Laurent Robert missed the target when he looked certain to score just before the break.
Marcello Lippi chose to replace the influential Edgar Davids with Antonio Conte at the break and as a result Jermaine Jenas and Gary Speed were able to take control of the midfield, with Nedved reduced to a bystander for much of the game.
It looked like it wasn't going to be our night though as pressure failed to be converted into the goal we needed with Buffon making a string of saves, the most impressive from a Shearer free kick.
But then Robert laid a free kick back to Griffin, who jinked his way past two defenders before hitting a cross-shot which Buffon could only deflect into his own net, as Jenas and Solano waited to fire home any rebound.
It was almost two a minute later when Solano saw Buffon produce another wonder save.
Juventus then turned up the heat, but Newcastle more than matched them in and always looked dangerous on the break.
Man-of-the-match Titus Bramble marshalled the defence superbly and snuffed out the threat of Alessandro Del Piero.
The Italians came close with five minutes left when Zayaleta hit the bar, but United's luck held for once as they sealed a fully deserved and much needed victory.
Man-of-the-match: Titus Bramble