Each year in the Serie A, there are teams with modest ambitions but good enough to climb into a trouble-free mid-table zone and, perhaps, with an outside chance for a place in Europe.
Palermo could well find themselves in this bracket but new coach Walter Zenga, formerly in charge of arch-rivals Catania, believes his team could be among the title challengers this season.
The former Inter goalkeeper surprised reporters in a season preview, telling them Palermo can produce a serious challenge for the scudetto which the Sicily club has never won before.
Some critics took Zenga's statement with a pinch of salt, knowing that, at least, there are six to seven teams that on paper look somewhat stronger than Palermo.
Palermo have done well this summer to hang on to strikers Fabrizio Miccoli and Edison Cavani and the up-and-coming Danish defender Simon Kjaer.
Zenga has an enticing mix of young players in Kjaer, Cavani and Antonio Nocerino. There are also the likes of midfielders Giovanni Tedesco, Fabio Liverani and Mark Bresciano, all veterans as Palermo seem to be one of the most balanced sides in the top division.
Zenga's comments may have caused a sensation but the football pundits are also eager to see how the relationship between the outspoken Zenga and club boss Maurizio Zamparini, who is equally frank when it comes to dealing with his own team and coach, develops during the season.
Cagliari were the surprise package of last season. They started on the wrong footing but when coach Massimo Allegri seemed to be on his way out, Cagliari clicked into gear and eventually finished in a creditable ninth place.
Allegri was linked with several big clubs this summer but decided to stay put. Repeating last season's heroics, however, will always be hard for a team of Cagliari's calibre.
The loss of striker Robert Acquafresca (signed by Genoa but loaned out to Atalanta) and midfielder Michele Fini (Siena) will be sorely felt as Cagliari were not particularly busy in the transfer market, landing only defender Lino Marzoratti from Empoli and young Brazilian striker Nene from Nacional Madeira.
Atalanta also failed to hold on to chief goal-getter Sergio Floccari, now at ambitious Genoa. The Bergamo team, under the charge of Angelo Gregucci, have also seen Luca Cigarini leaving to join Napoli.
But with new strikers Acquafresca and Simone Tiribocchi (Lecce), Atalanta have plenty of ammunition up front. Midfielders Edgar Barreto (Reggina), Fabio Caserta (Lecce) and Paolo Bianco (Cagliari) are other valuable additions to Gregucci's squad.
Luigi Del Neri quit Atalanta to join Sampdoria last May. The ex-Chievo, Porto and Roma coach succeeds Walter Mazzarri.
Sampdoria finished 13th last season and lost the Coppa Italia final to Lazio after a penalty shoot-out.
Samp's strongest department is their attack, featuring deadly duo Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini.
Since the end of last season, Samp saw defenders Mirko Pieri (Livorno) and Hugo Campagnaro (Napoli) seek pastures new as influential midfielder Gennaro Delvecchio was transferred to Catania.
Daniele Mannini (Napoli) and the returns of Emiliano Bonazzoli and Luciano Zauri, after short spells with Fiorentina, represent Samp's major signings to date.
This season, Catania will be led by former Ravenna coach Gianluca Atzori.
So far, the Sicilians resisted offers for the highly-rated Giuseppe Mascara. Delvecchio will add experience to a three-man midfield. The arrival of three Argentines, keeper Mariano Andujar, defender Federico Spolli and midfielder Pablo Barrientos, represent Catania's major acquisitions this summer.
The passionate backing of their supporters will be a huge asset for the team as the Sicilians are again likely to bank on home success to pile up the points.
An excellent start to the season did the trick for Catania in 2008/9 and Atzori will hope his players will repeat that feat this term to steer clear of the red zone in the standings.