Inter Milan, Roma and Juventus go into this week's Champions League round of 16 first leg clashes against Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea on the back of domestic wins that have kept the mood in their camps high.
Inter, leading Serie A by nine points from Juve after a 2-1 win at Bologna, are determined to get their recent Champions monkey off their back under their new ex-Chelsea coach Jose' Mourinho.
After defeats in the last three years to Villareal, Valencia and Liverpool, the Serie A champs appear to be relishing Mourinho's policy of taking the heat out of big matches.
The Portuguese coach, who beat Man Utd on his way to European glory with Porto in 2004, sent the same laid-back vibes before Tuesday night's meeting at San Siro with Ronaldo, Rooney and Co.
''We're just happy to be playing the best,'' said Mourinho, who has an enviable European record against Alex Ferguson: won 6, drawn 5, lost 1.
''We shouldn't put ourselves under pressure. We should just stay smart, enjoy the game,'' said Mourinho, who is expected to play Adriano and Ibrahimovic up front and pack the midfield to stop Man Utd's counterattacking game.
Roma skipper Francesco Totti, in the form of his life, is itching to get at the Arsenal defence at the Emirates on Tuesday after disappointments against Man U in recent years.
''It's going to be a fascinating game,'' he said after Roma's 1-0 win against Siena, adding that the team were looking forward to the final in Rome on May 25.
Juve head into Wednesday's game at Chelsea after a 2-0 win at Palermo that showed David Trezeguet was back to form and fitness.
But Chelsea showed they were coming back to the boil by beating Aston Villa on Saturday - while Man U continued its juggernaut run against Blackburn and Arsenal could only draw against Sunderland.
