After a summer of scandal and triumph, Italian football is preparing for the start of a new, cleaner season this weekend with Internazionale installed as the clear pre-season favourites.
After winning the World Cup, normally euphoria would greet the start of the season but the glow of the victory in Germany has been somewhat overshadowed by all the match-fixing scandals. For the first time in 77 years, Serie A will not include Juventus in the 2006-07 season after they were relegated and stripped of their last two Scudetto wins.
The biggest benefactors from the Italian Football Federation's (FIGC) internal investigation were Inter, who not only inherited the 2005/06 Scudetto, but were able to rub salt in Juve's wounds by signing Patrick Vieira and Zlatan Ibrahimovic from them.
Roberto Mancini's side begin the campaign in Florence on Saturday night as the defending champions and, after another summer spending spree, are favourites to win the league on the field this time around. Having already won the SuperCoppa Italia, they face Fiorentina on Saturday hoping to put 22 points between the two sides.
Although a win is only worth three points, the results of months of investigations and trials means four clubs in the top flight will have a battle on their hands to move out of the red. Fiorentina are the club worst-hit with a 19-point deduction to overturn before they can start putting points on the board. Reggina start with -15 points, Lazio -11 and AC Milan -8, which makes Inter an even stronger favourite for the title.
Milan, despite the handicap, are still fancied to push their city-rivals far this season and will be keen to move out of the bottom four as soon as possible. Whatever the result of their opening fixture with Lazio on Sunday, both sides will still occupy the 17th and 18th positions in the league.
That leaves Roma as the fiercest competition to Mancini's side and they are the first in action on Saturday at home to Livorno.
Palermo have strengthened their squad this summer despite the losses of World Cup heroes Fabio Grosso and Simone Barone and, despite the distraction of UEFA Cup football, could benefit from the punishments to Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio to go one better this term and join Europe's elite in the Champions League next season. Their season starts against a Reggina side condemned to a season-long struggle against relegation.
Meanwhile, Chievo, despite declaring their sole aim is to avoid relegation, will be aiming to book a place in Europe again next season after almost making the Champions League this year. The "Flying Donkeys" lost to Levski Sofia over two-legs for a place in the Champions League, but still represent Italy in the UEFA Cup. They entertain Siena on Sunday.
Sampdoria seemed cursed during the second half of last season and have not won a game since February 12. Walter Novellino will want to set the record straight on Sunday against Empoli. Avoiding scenes of Samp's last home game of last season against Lecce when the home fans turned their backs to their team for the final 30 minutes of the game will be Novellino's priority. "That was an ugly scene which I will never forget," he said.
Alberto Zaccheroni celebrates his return to coaching in charge of Torino in the final game of the weekend on Sunday evening, with Parma the visitors to the Olympic Stadium. Zaccheroni, who led AC Milan to the Scudetto in 1999, was appointed as coach on Thursday after Gianluigi De Biasi was sensationally sacked just days before the start of the season.
Meanwhile, Catania make their Serie A debut at Cagliari and Atalanta mark their return to the top flight by welcoming Ascoli to Bergamo. Finally, Messina play host to Udinese.
Don't forget Bravo and Setanta Sports will cover the Serie A Championship live this season. Check out the 'Live Italian Football' page for more details.
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