(ANSA) - Here is an overview of the 20 teams competing in the new Serie A season, which kicks off this weekend
Juventus: The arrival of French international midfielder Patrick Vieira from Premiership club Arsenal has boosted a quality squad and means the reigning champ remains the side to beat.
AC Milan: After finishing runner-up in the European Champions League and in Serie A last season, Milan will be hungry for revenge. The offensive department led by European Footballer of the Year Andriy Shevchenko has been reinforced by Christian Vieri, who moved cross-town from Inter, and the hottest young prospect in Italian football, Alberto Gilardino, in arrival from Parma.
Inter Milan: A string of smart moves on the transfer market - including the signing of Luis Figo from Real Madrid - coupled with the club's fine form in pre-season friendlies and the Champions League preliminary round has raised fans' hopes that this will be the year Inter ends a 17-year scudetto drought.
AS Roma: Internal strife and four changes of coach meant the 2001 champ flirted with relegation last season. However, astute new trainer Luciano Spalletti has a wealth of fine players in his squad - included hugely talented captain Francesco Totti - and may well be able to steer the club to a Champions League qualification spot.
Udinese: The loss of Spalletti to Roma, as well as stars like Chilean playmaker David Pizarro and Marek Jankulovski of the Czech Republic - who moved to Inter Milan and AC Milan respectively - has weakened the side that finished fourth last year. But the club has hung on to stars like excellent goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis, and strikers Vincenzo Iaquinta, David Di Michele and Antonio Di Natale. Under former Genoa and Perugia coach Serse Cosmi, Udinese should continue to prosper.
Sampdoria: After finishing fifth last season, the Genoa-based side has beefed up its attack - signing forwards Emiliano Bonazzoli and Marco Borriello, who both played for Reggina in the 2004-05 campaign - and should once again be pushing for Champions League qualification.
Palermo: The loss of star striker Luca Toni to Fiorentina means the Sicilian outfit may not be the threat it
was last time. Nevertheless, the club is expected to sail in the upper regions of the league standings. After an unhappy experience at AS Roma, former Chievo Verona coach Luigi Del Neri takes over on the bench from Francesco Guidolin.
Fiorentina: The pride of Florence had a relegation near-miss last time, but major reinforcements have been drafted in and the club is optimistic of qualifying for the UEFA Cup this year. The attack looks menacing with lanky Palermo old boy Luca Toni joining exciting young Bulgarian Valeri Bojinov up front.
Lazio: The glory days of the 2000 scudetto are now a distant memory for this cash strapped club. What's more, Lazio has lost a number of players in the closed season, such as versatile midfielder Giuliano Giannichedda who moved to Juventus. Rome's sky-blues look to be in for another season of stress.
Ascoli: Like Treviso, Ascoli was bumped up from Serie B at the last minute because of the Italian Soccer Federation's decision to deny Genoa and Torino promotion from the second division - for match-fixing and financial problems respectively. Most pundits do not rank the squad as top-flight material. Serie A survival would be a surprise.
Cagliari: The retirement of Sardinian soccer genius Gianfranco Zola leaves a massive gap in the team, so last season's mid-table finish may be hard to repeat. But the side still has plenty of pace in attack, with Mauro Esposito and Antonio Langella, and should stay up.
Chievo Verona: The club from a Verona suburb narrowly missed the drop last time and has seen key players like goalkeeper Julio Cesar and midfielder Roberto Baronio move elsewhere (to Inter and Lazio respectively). The side looks in store for a tough campaign.
Empoli: The Tuscans finished second in Serie B last season and look adequately equipped for life in the top
flight.
Lecce: The departure of Czech coach Zdenek Zeman - replaced by Serie A debutant Angelo Gregucci - means the local faithful are unlikely to be treated to the high-scoring thrillers of last season. But the squad remains relatively strong and should be capable of staying in the top-flight for the third consecutive year - something the Puglia club has never done previously.
Livorno: If last year's Serie A top-scorer Cristiano Lucarelli continues his prolific form safety will not be an
issue.
Messina: The Sicilians have kept hold of the stars that took the club to a seventh-place finish and UEFA Cup qualification last time, and brought in some extra resources too. The fans optimism for the upcoming campaign seems justified.
Parma: The former UEFA Cup and European Cup Winners Cup holder escaped the drop by beating Bologna in a relegation play-off. New signing Bernardo Corradi - in arrival from Valencia - looks a competent replacement for Alberto Gilardino. But goalkeeper Sebastian Frey, who has moved to Fiorentina, will be missed. Former Real Madrid chairman Lorenzo Sanz bought the club in the summer, but he has not made any major buys yet and the side may struggle as a result.
Reggina: The Calabria club lost many of its best players - Bonazzoli and Borriello to Sampdoria, Shunsuke Nakamura to Glasgow Celtic - in the summer. Unless the management makes some late signings, Reggina looks prime relegation candidates.
Siena: Former Lazio veteran Paolo Negro and Juventus reject Nicola Legrottaglie have been called in to bolster Siena's defence. Nevertheless, the little Tuscan side looks set for another tough season.
Treviso: Treviso is better prepared than Ascoli for its new-found Serie A status. Brazilian playmaker Pinga, signed from Torino, will give creativity to the midfield, while Emanuele Filippini - who starred for Lazio last season - will supply plenty of drive and aggression in the centre of the park.
