Juventus could end their wait for Champions League success this season, according to John Elkann, the president of the Fiat Chrysler group who are the main shareholders in the club.
With Gonzalo Higuain and Miralem Pjanic both arriving this summer, Elkann believes the final pieces in the puzzle have been found for the Bianconeri to transform their domestic dominance into European glory, which last came in 1995-96.
"We were already one of the best teams in the world for the past few years," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "In 2015 we reached the final and last season we got knocked out by nothing in Munich.
"I'm curious to see how Higuian does with us. With [Paulo] Dybala, we have a fantastic attack partnership, but winning the Champions League comes down to details and they don't always depend on the team's strength. Just look at the last final -- Atletico [Madrid] deserved to win it, but Real got the cup.
"All I can say is that we've really strengthened our squad a lot. We've got more experience and an outstanding group. There are many new arrivals, from Pjanic to [Medhi] Benatia, from Higuain to Dani Alves, but [coach Massimiliano] Allegri is a master in transforming individual quality into a strong group."
Given the investment Juve have made this summer, and after their title win by nine points last season, they are considered strong favourites for Serie A glory this term.
Winning a sixth straight Scudetto will not be as easy as it sounds, though, according to a cautious Elkann.
"It would be a huge mistake [to think we have already won]," he said from Rio de Janeiro, where he has been following the Olympic Games. "Sport and these Olympics in particular teach you that nothing can be taken for granted.
"In fact, the favourites are those who risk the most. In sport, as in life, even the best make mistakes and you have got to work really hard to avoid them. I can see Napoli and Roma as our main rivals. Without Higuain and Pjanic, they are a bit weaker, but they are still extremely good."
The new Serie A season starts this weekend with Juventus hosting Fiorentina and Roma entertaining Udinese -- the side who beat Juve on the opening day of last season -- on Saturday.