Italy are hoping to avoid favourites Brazil until the World Cup final and exact revenge for their last final appearance in 1994, when Roberto Baggio famously sent the ball into the stands to crush the nation's hopes in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
"It would be great for the guys to beat Brazil in the final. It would erase the ghosts of 1994," Baggio said this week.
Some of Italy's potential stars also see a final clash with Brazil as a dream.
"I was a little boy when Italy last won the Cup in 1982 but I still remember Paolo Rossi's hat-trick against Brazil that set us on the road to victory," said Fiorentina striker Luca Toni, who will spearhead the Azzurri attack. Francesco Totti, the playmaker-striker who hopes to regain match fitness and finally seal his place as one of the game's greats, agreed.
"Brazil-Italy would be the perfect final. It would be a mountain to climb - but it's best to climb it later rather than sooner," said the Roma star. Totti was echoing the nation's fears that Italy could meet Brazil as early as the second round.
Brazil, five-times and reigning champion, is a powerhouse brimming with jewels like the world's top player Ronaldhino, resurgent Real Madrid great Ronaldo, AC Milan's midfield thoroughbred Kaka' and Real Madrid's mercurial striker Robinho.
It is highly unlikely to lose its group, which pits it against Croatia, Australia and Japan.
So Italy simply must win its own group, against Ghana, the United States and the Czech Republic, to avoid facing the South American giants immediately - because the runner-up meets Ronaldhino and company in the second round. After matches with Ghana on June 12 and the US on June 17, the group showdown with the Czechs will be on June 22 in Hamburg.
For the Czechs, former European Footballer of the Year Pavel Nedved of Juventus has come out of retirement to link with Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky, veteran ex-Lazio, Benfica and Manchester United winger Karel Poborsky, and Borussia Dortmund giant Jan Koller, the nation's record scorer with 40 goals from 66 appearances.
The Czechs also have one of the safest pairs of hands in the business in Chelsea's Petr Cech. Coming top in the group would probably give Italy a second-round match against either Australia or Croatia. After that, their route to the final looks likely to throw up clashes with other second-ranked favourites behind Brazil: first France, and then either Germany or Argentina.
France is rebuilding a team around veteran Real Madrid star Zinedine Zidane, who will retire after the tournament. Zidane and Juve midfielder Patrick Viera have not gelled in recent friendlies but the French still pose a massive threat up front with the likes of Juve's David Trezeguet and Arsenal's Thierry Henry, billed by many as the potential player of the tournament along with Ronaldinho.
Hosts Germany will have home advantage which has proved lucky for past winners like England, Argentina and France, but they have been erratic in recent friendlies and depend heavily on Chelsea's new signing Michael Ballack. They do, however, have highly rated strikers like Werder Bremen's Miroslav Klose.
Argentina, meanwhile, are presenting one of the tournament's most keenly awaited youngsters in teenage Barcelona star Lionel Messi, who is expected to forge a fruitful partnership with veteran Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo, Sevilla's Javier Saviola and Valencia's Pablo Aimar. Their midfield will be marshalled by Villareal star Juan Roman Riquelme, an outside tip as tournament stand-out.
The other side of the draw contains the bookies' other two fancied sides, England and the Netherlands.
English fans' hopes have been pinned for months on the injured right foot of Manchester United star Wayne Rooney, which has finally been pronounced fit for World Cup action, but only if England win through to the latter stages. Rooney, one of the most dangerous strikers in world soccer, should eventually rejoin ex-Liverpool and current Newcastle United star Michael Owen.
In the meantime, Owen will be partnered by lanky Liverpool striker Peter Crouch, while classy Real Madrid winger David Beckham is sure to be one of the most watched players in the tournament. The England midfield is one of the best in the world with the likes of Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, while coach Sven Goran Eriksson may play his surprise pick, teen unknown Theo Walcott, who could beat Pele's record as the youngest World Cup player.
The Dutch are looking to forwards like Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelroy and Arsenal's Robin van Persie, as well as a powerful midfield including Chelsea's Arjen Robben and Barcelona's Mark van Bommel. Italy, meanwhile, has Brazil on its mind.
Unlike his players and most of the nation, coach Marcello Lippi is unfazed by the thought of an early encounter.
"We'll have to meet them sooner or later," he said.
"Bring 'em on".
