Matchmaking is an inherent part of the human experience, because it combines two things most of us enjoy doing: Helping others find a sense of fulfillment in their lives and pretending that we know what's best for them.

That established, we turn our attention to the remaining members of the NHL unrestricted free agent Class of 2019, which would have been a heck of an All-Star team about 10 years ago: Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Thomas Vanek up front; Niklas Kronwall and Dion Phaneuf on the blue line; and ... well, Cam Ward hasn't retired yet, so we'll just go with him in goal.

These players, and a few more, still need homes for the 2019-20 NHL season. So it's time to play a little matchmaker. Keep in mind these are the matches we'd like to see made, and not necessarily predictions on where they'll end up. Also, we're trying to at least keep a foot on the ground while our heads are in the clouds, and acknowledging some basic cap and player preference restrictions on these potential matches.

Now, please excuse me as I grab my Cupid bow, heart-tipped arrows and large adult diaper to complete the costume. It's time to make matches.

Joe Thornton, C

Best match: San Jose Sharks

At the NHL Awards, Joe Thornton announced he was returning for his 22nd NHL season in that laid-back, Jumbo-esque manner we've come to expect from him. 'No worries, we'll all sit down, we'll figure it out, no problem' ... that kind of thing. So we take the Bearded One at his word. Erik Karlsson's deal, and whatever else GM Doug Wilson is cooking up, have likely left Thornton with a "Here's what's left for you" one-year deal, and that's fine. The Sharks certainly can use him, as Thornton's work on the third line last season was exemplary, and their forward group certainly took a hit this offseason. "Win it for Jumbo," one more time.

Patrick Marleau, C/LW

Best match: Arizona Coyotes

Look, we want that Patrick Marleau reunion with the Sharks just as much as you do, but it's hard to imagine Wilson slotting him in ahead of some of the younger talent he no doubt wants to get a gander at (before adjusting accordingly). Or that all the bygones between Marleau and Wilson are indeed bygones. Keeping in mind that Marleau has stated a desire to be out West, and noting that the other California teams might not be in the market for him, what about the Yotes? It might take a little cap maneuvering, but I like him on the left side down the lineup -- and especially in that room. He lost two sons in Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner; he could gain a weird nephew in Phil Kessel.

Thomas Vanek, LW

Best match: Edmonton Oilers

I'll never forget the "Yeah, can you believe that?" tone when I asked Vanek, of the most traded players in the NHL, about getting a no-trade clause from the Detroit Red Wings. The guy that gave it to him was Ken Holland, who is now the general manager of the Oilers, a team that could use all the offensive help it can get on the left side right now. Plus, Vanek signing in Edmonton would bring it all full circle, as the franchise that offer-sheeted him with a seven-year deal in 2007 gets him 12 years later as a 35-year-old journeyman with a one-year contract. With a no-trade clause, of course.

Patrick Maroon, LW

Best match: Tampa Bay Lightning

The St. Louis Blues are obviously the "best" best match, because I'm a father, and every time I think about Maroon taking less money to play at home to be with his child and then winning the Stanley Cup in the process, the room gets dustier than an abandoned attic. But Maroon on the Lightning is just too perfect to pass up. Think about how they went out with a whimper against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Now think about the way Maroon plays. The way he scores goals. The way his line of grunts could change the momentum with one good shift. This is the kind of player the Lightning, frankly, lack when they're getting punched in the mouth by a lesser opponent. The Big Rig gives them one.

Jason Pominville, RW

Best match: Philadelphia Flyers

Pominville turns 37 in November, and he has settled into a 0.42 points per game guy with reliable shot attempts metrics relative to his teammates. His expected goals percentage of 52.12 was fourth among Buffalo Sabres forwards last season. Having him as a veteran option on the right side down the lineup gives the Flyers a little bit of insurance, and he's a better option than Tyler Pitlick.

Brian Boyle, C

Best match: Pittsburgh Penguins

Lose "Old Man" Matt Cullen, gain "Plays Like An Old Man" Brian Boyle for your fourth line. Boyle is a faceoff ace, a physical presence and would give the team another net-front body for when Patric Hornqvist is on the shelf. Plus, he would keep Boyle in the Northeast (sorta), which is obviously important for his family. Due respect to Teddy Blueger, but I like Boyle here.

Justin Williams, RW

Best match: Carolina Hurricanes

Earlier this summer, I said Williams should bring his particular set of skills to Arizona in order create a "Bunch of Jerks" vibe with the Coyotes. But the truth is that I want the Hurricanes to be the last team Williams plays for in the NHL. His role in the resurgence of the franchise last season was indelible. His performance as de facto player/coach with Rod Brind'Amour was vital. His next uniform should be whatever he wears as a member of the Hurricanes' hockey operations staff after retiring with them.

Jake Gardiner, D

Best match: Buffalo Sabres

I have no idea how the Buffalo Sabres are capped out. True, paying a combined $25 million against the cap to three forwards probably helps, but there's no way a team that bad should have that much money on its cap. Stop stealing the Red Wings' bit! Anyway, Gardiner is clearly biding his time until some team -- the Maple Leafs or the Avalanche or someone else waiting on an RFA? -- settles on their cap number. But Gardiner to the Sabres, where he slide in behind Rasmus Dahlin for the foreseeable future, would be a good fit for both. Provided, of course, that Buffalo can clear the necessary cap space, having committed so much money already to ... that.

Niklas Kronwall, D

Best match: Toronto Maple Leafs

I think it's probably Detroit Red Wings or bust for Kronwall, the 38-year-old defenseman who hit opponents so hard that his name became a verb. But if he did continue on elsewhere, what about a left-side role for peanuts with Mike Babcock in Toronto? He averaged 19:57 per game last season with Detroit and was just a nose ahead of his teammates as far as relative Corsi. His expected goals percentage (44.31) was putrid, but it would improve on a better team. He's Ron Hainsey with Red Wings Cup nostalgia. And hey, maybe he gets one good Kronwalling in on the Bruins in their inevitable playoff series next spring.

Dion Phaneuf, D

Best match: Vegas Golden Knights

Six points in 67 games and a 1.3 shooting percentage aren't exactly the kind of numbers that inspire one to get into the Dion Phaneuf business. Here's a fact that might be more enticing: The buyout money owed to Phaneuf by the Los Angeles Kings for the next two seasons, which would allow the defenseman to take a bargain-basement deal with a capped-out contender like Vegas. The Knights could use another body on the blue line, and especially one with that kind of power-play experience. Now, to find an Elvis jumpsuit that fits ...

Jersey Fouls

Eschewing the usual Jersey Foul fodder, we focus on the new road jerseys for the New York Rang... er, Carolina Hurricanes:

Can't wait to put this on next month. These jerseys are unreal. #canetrain pic.twitter.com/nZeQKwnlcq

— Jordan Martinook (@Martyman17) August 20, 2019

First off, kudos to the Canes for doing the "different styles of home and away" jerseys. Nothing wrong with that. Secondly, kudos to the Canes for finding a way to remove their swirly flushed toilet logo from at least one of their jerseys, because outside of the Colorado Avalanche, no team needs a logo refresh more.

The little Hurricane flags on the "C" are a great touch, and overall it's a pretty clean look. Sure, the diagonal letters thing is being done by the Rangers and has been done by the Avalanche and the Lightning, who were the "BOLTS" before Carolina was the "CANES."

Of course, there were other options:

What could have been though pic.twitter.com/n3hutMZbUi

— Meep (@tw1st3d_w1ll) August 20, 2019

Yes, what could have been.

Oh good, another European threat

Restricted free agents have very little leverage. Which is why, inevitably, their camps start making noise about potentially leaving for Europe in a desperate attempt to pressure management.

David Pastrnak had "multiple offers from the KHL" while negotiating with the Bruins in 2017. Dmitry Orlov fielded a KHL offer when he was working on a new deal with the Capitals. Ditto Rickard Rakell, whom HC Sibir Novosibirsk reportedly targeted as he discussed a new deal with the Anaheim Ducks. In 2014, Ryan Johansen's camp claimed a KHL offer during a nasty contract dispute with the Blue Jackets, one that had Columbus team president John Davidson calling the negotiation "extortion."

Agent Darren Ferris prefers to use Switzerland as the geographic threat of choice. He used it with Josh Anderson in his talks with Columbus. He used it with Andreas Athanasiou in his talks with the Red Wings. And now he's using it in Mitch Marner's stalemate with the Maple Leafs, in a predictable move.

This charade always reminded me of those times as a child when my mother, in a fit of frustration over a messy room or some other youthful indiscretion, threatened to "move to China." (We'd always call her on her bluff, because the farthest past the Mississippi River she ever traveled was to Reno.)

The entire Marner ordeal remains stupefying, and it's getting harder to predict how and when it will end. But it's safe to assume it won't be with him draped in Zurich gear.

Listen to ESPN On Ice

The full season archive of our podcast can be found on iTunes. Honestly, if you're lounging at the pool on the last days of summer, nothing is better than listening to two people that have had it up to here about playoff officiating.

Three things about Bill Guerin

1. I was pleasantly surprised that Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold and his brain trust didn't course-correct after the Paul Fenton disaster. Conventional wisdom was that the Wild were going to regurgitate a Peter Chiarelli-type retread rather than hire another assistant general manager. But Guerin had the goods -- and Team USA teammate Mike Modano as a Leipold confidant -- to earn him the gig.

2. After everything we heard about Fenton's inability to connect on a human level with players and coworkers, as well as his general lack of managerial communication skills, it's pretty easy to see how a charismatic, face-of-the-franchise guy would be seen as the antidote. Fenton didn't connect with veteran leaders like Zach Parise. Guerin is a decade removed from having played against them.

3. Finally, this is the single greatest photo ever used to announce a new hire in the history of the NHL:

"I am thrilled to announce we have hired Bill Guerin, a four-time Stanley Cup champion, as General Manager of the Minnesota Wild." - Craig Leipold

? News → https://t.co/uM3vPSoWqs #mnwild pic.twitter.com/kU0yhA6khQ

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) August 21, 2019

He looks like a colorized photo of a 1920s baseball player. And a little like a post-"Star Trek Generations" William Shatner. And ... moist. You never want your first impression to be so moist.

Puck headlines

You know, I really wasn't one of those guys who complained about Hollywood remaking literally everything until I read that the dude who played Spawn is starring in a reboot of the greatest hockey movie of all-time.

Really interesting piece on Hilary Knight and that "not a boycott" of the NWHL by the best women's players in the world: "I don't think it's sustainable, I don't think it's a viable option, and that's why there are 200-plus women in the world willing to forgo playing in it to build something better. ... When I say that, we're not out there looking to destroy anything - we're just looking to build. We have a grander vision of what the sport should look like, not only from a players' perspective, but also the needs of future generations. So I think that's where the intent is, to really build and cultivate the best group of women to be able to go and do that."

Breaking down the Buffalo Sabres' 50th anniversary jerseys, which are pretty sweet.

Derick Brassard heads to the Islanders.

How New York Islanders arena construction is impacting the horse racing at Belmont.

A North Dakota vs. Penn State men's hockey game in Nashville for 2020 remains on track. Now that would be sweet.

The Golden Knights are planning a Miracle On Ice night. We assume they mean the 1980 U.S. Olympic team and not, like, scoring four goals on a five-minute major to erase a three-goal deficit in a Game 7.

Hockey tl;dr (too long; didn't read)

Corey Pronman is in the process of doing his farm system rankings ($).

In case you missed this from your friends at ESPN

We hope you enjoyed our All-Decade project this week on ESPN. Here are the best and worst teams, the all-decade awards, all-decade teams for all 31 teams and the 10 biggest ways the NHL has changed (and what comes next).

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said that the finding of high levels of toxic materials on the proposed site for Inter Miami's soccer stadium is "not anything that jeopardizes the deal in any way."

Inter Miami, which counts David Beckham among its ownership group, is currently in the process of negotiating a 99-year lease with the city for a $1 billion development project -- dubbed Miami Freedom Park -- that will include a 25,000-seat stadium. The project is set to be built on what is currently the home of Melreese Country Club, Miami's only city-owned golf course.

On Monday, an environmental analysis of the site -- paid for by Inter Miami -- was made public, and it revealed levels of arsenic, barium and lead that exceeded legal limits. This was due to debris from an old municipal incinerator that was closed decades ago. Inter Miami has long known about the environmental concerns related to the site, and pledged to pay the total cost of any remediation that is needed.

Miami Freedom Park and Soccer Village:

✅ 100% privately funded
✅ 58-acre public park w/ 11 soccer fields
✅ #InterMiamiCF's future @MLS stadium
✅ Entertainment/retail space/technology hub

y mucho más....https://t.co/DP6zJx383U pic.twitter.com/CF6QAPzJen

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 16, 2019

On Tuesday, The Miami Herald reported that Miami city manager Emilio Gonzalez had ordered the closure of the golf course pending an analysis of the report's findings.

"It's more for the health and safety of the people that are using the site at the moment," Suarez told ESPN about the closure of the golf course. "There wasn't as much concern about the deal itself. There was always an understanding that the team was going to remediate [the site]. They understood that it was contaminated. It's not anything that jeopardizes the deal in any way."

Mayor Suarez, a proponent of the project, confirmed that the new analysis means that the cost of remediation, initially estimated at $35 million, is now around $50 million, but he remains unconcerned that this will adversely affect Inter Miami's plans.

"From my perspective, it doesn't really matter because [Inter Miami has] agreed to pay it, and capitalize it," he said. "This is a $1 billion deal; $35 million, $50 million, that's 3.5 percent or 5% of the deal. I'm not saying that's insignificant, but they have a range, and they are comfortable that it's within the range."

The initial terms of the deal with Inter Miami -- the broad framework of which was approved by voters last November -- state that the team will make annual lease payments based either on the site's fair market value or 5% of the gross revenues minus the amount of "common area maintenance," whichever figure is higher. Two previous appraisals pegged Inter Miami's annual payments at $3.6 million per year, making that the minimum payment in any lease. Two additional appraisals are being done to reassess the site's fair market value. If the figure is higher, that is what will be used in the lease agreement.

Commissioner Manolo Reyes, a staunch critic of the deal, questioned whether the closure of the golf course was necessary, and whether it was being used as leverage in the lease negotiations that could see the city leave money on the table.

"What I want to know is if it is something that's been done as a tactic to devalue the land," Reyes told the Herald. "Then they can claim they will have to pay less."

Reyes did not immediately respond to request by ESPN for comment.

Suarez countered that the appraisals made before Monday's announcement give the city protection on the downside. He also continued to tout the project's benefits, including the construction of a hotel, office space, a 58-acre park and soccer fields.

"We did this as a zero-subsidy deal. We're going to be making $5 billion in revenues," he said. "If you can find a deal that's better than that, please let me know."

Suarez also said he was unconcerned about a City Commission resolution that required lease negotiations to be completed by Sept. 12.

"We're just continuing work," he said. "If we can make that deadline, wonderful. If we can't, then we'll go back to the commission and say, 'We need more time.'"

Once the lease negotiations are completed, four of the five Miami city commissioners must approve the deal for it to go into effect. With Commissioner Reyes set to vote "no," Commissioner Willy Gort, in whose district the site lies, is considered to be the swing vote.

Paris Saint-Germain are considering setting a deadline to sell Neymar this summer, sources have told ESPN FC.

The potential transfer of the Brazilian superstar has become a frustrating saga for the PSG squad and the club this offseason. Sources say no decision has been made but there have been discussions internally about stopping all forms of negotiations with Barcelona, Real Madrid or any other club interested at a set date.

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There are 12 days left before the European transfer window ends and PSG have yet to reach an agreement for Neymar, who wants to leave the club this summer.

However, with an eye toward focusing on the season and reintegrating Neymar into the first team, PSG could declare the door closed for a move away.

Sources have told ESPN FC that, contrary to recent reports in France, PSG are yet to receive a concrete offer from Real Madrid. Juventus are also reportedly interested in having Neymar but likewise have not formally presented a deal to PSG sporting director Leonardo, sources have confirmed to ESPN FC.

On the other hand, Leonardo has turned down two offers from Barcelona. The first offer of Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic plus €80 million was rejected last week. And Barca's latest bid -- a loan including a payment to PSG and an obligation to buy Neymar next summer for a total fee of €190 million -- was also rebuffed earlier this week.

Sources say the PSG hierarchy is unsure about Barcelona's ambitions, and they have questioned in private the Catalan club's desire for a deal to happen, with belief shrinking that Barcelona can afford to bring Neymar back to the Camp Nou. The French champions want to recoup a majority of the €222m they spent to sign the Brazil international two years ago. And sources say they believe they are in a strong position to negotiate because it was never their intention to sell Neymar, who is under contract until the summer of 2022.

Barcelona remain keen on Neymar as they see his signing as "strategic" and are expected to return to the negotiating table with a fresh bid in the next few days.

Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu is on holiday in Spain, but he is keeping close tabs on the negotiations. He wants Neymar back at Camp Nou and maintains contact with the former Santos man's entourage as he prepares his next offer.

The Catalan club, however, has been waiting for Neymar to make a public declaration of his intentions to return to the club and, privately, the club's hierarchy is considering how far they can go with a bid which will be attractive to PSG and not significantly harm the club economically.

Manchester United are facing a £12 million bill for Alexis Sanchez's wages this season, sources have told ESPN FC, even if the forward completes a loan move to Inter Milan before next week's European transfer deadline.

United and Inter remain in talks over a season-long loan deal for the 30-year-old, who has scored five goals in 45 appearances since completing a free transfer move from Arsenal to Old Trafford in January 2018.

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But with Sanchez unwilling to take a pay cut in order to end his United nightmare, sources have told ESPN FC that Inter are only prepared to pay up to €5m (£4.5m) of the player's €20m (£18m) salary at the Premier League club.

The Italian outfit have been told that Sanchez has already taken a 20 per cent drop in wages this season as part of his contract due to United not participating in the Champions League this term.

And, although the Chile forward is keen to kick-start his career by returning to Italy -- Sanchez spent three years in Serie A side Udinese prior to signing for Barcelona in 2011 -- United and Inter remain some distance apart on an agreement over sharing the burden of the player's wages.

With Inter only prepared to pay £85,000-a-week towards Sanchez's £350,000-a-week basic salary at Old Trafford, United could be forced to fork out in excess of £1m a month simply to get a deal done with Inter.

Sources have told ESPN FC that Inter, who paid a club record €80m to sign United striker Romelu Lukaku earlier this month, remain hopeful of reaching an agreement for Sanchez.

United have already paid Sanchez's wages for July and August, leaving approximately £15m of his annual salary to be covered.

And with the player having been omitted from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad for the games against Chelsea and Wolves this season, Inter are confident of a breakthrough being made before the deadline.

After a three-month hiatus, Serie A returns this Saturday, starting with Juventus at Parma, while every game in Italy's top flight can be seen live in the United States on ESPN+ this season.

On the eve of the 2019-20 campaign, there is hope for all 20 clubs and questions abound: Will Juve win a ninth consecutive Scudetto? Who will qualify for the Champions League? Can Mario Balotelli keep his hometown club Brescia from being relegated?

Tom Williams is here to answer those questions and examine all of the calcio storylines to watch in 2019-20.

Serie A is still Juventus' to lose

If Juventus fans will be closely scrutinising how their team adapts to life under new head coach Maurizio Sarri over the opening weeks of the new Serie A season, the same will be true for supporters of their expected title rivals, Napoli and Inter Milan.

Sarri, who might miss Saturday's opening fixture against Parma after being diagnosed with pneumonia, was brought to Juventus to take the club to the next level. After eight successive Serie A titles, won by an average of more than nine points, mere domestic dominance will no longer suffice. The former Napoli coach is expected to inject panache into the somewhat perfunctory football that was Juve's calling card under Massimiliano Allegri and end the club's 23-year wait for a third Champions League crown.

It is no small order, but he has plenty of resources at his disposal. Juve saw off competition from various super clubs to sign centre-back starlet Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax and have bolstered their midfield with free transfers Aaron Ramsey from Arsenal and former PSG ace Adrien Rabiot. Cristiano Ronaldo, last season's Serie A Player of the Year, has had a full year to acclimate to life in Italy and is chasing a sixth Ballon d'Or. Although Juve must adapt to an unfamiliar coach, so too must Inter, AC Milan and Roma.

If everything clicks, the Scudetto will be Juve's to lose. But if Sarri experiences any of the teething problems he encountered during his solitary season at Chelsea, where the fans never took to his vision or style, the chances of Italy crowning a first champion other than Juve since Allegri's Milan took the spoils in 2011 will significantly increase.

Who can strike if Juve slip?

Runners-up last season, Napoli have enjoyed a more tranquil summer than their major rivals, with Carlo Ancelotti remaining at the helm and the club quietly conducting some impressive transfer business. Kostas Manolas, a €36 million capture from Roma, looks set to form what could become one of Europe's most imposing centre-back partnerships alongside Kalidou Koulibaly, while Mexico winger Hirving Lozano will add dynamism and directness in attack -- and soften the blow of losing to Arsenal for Nicolas Pepe.

Napoli failed to replicate 2017-18's captivating title charge last season due to their inability to win the big games. They lost twice to Juve in the league, were eliminated by Milan in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals and crashed out of the Europa League against Arsenal, having previously failed to advance out of a Champions League group with PSG, Liverpool and Red Star Belgrade. But Ancelotti believes Napoli's serene summer could give his side an edge.

"Napoli will get to the start of the season quite tried and tested," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "We don't need to experiment in our play in order to become more fluent. That may give us a small advantage over our rivals, who have changed something."

If Napoli are banking on stability, an offseason of clear-minded evolution at Inter has left Nerazzurri supporters dreaming of a first league title since Jose Mourinho's 2010 treble.

Inter head into the new campaign with a management team that knows exactly what it takes to win the championship, after former Juve CEO Beppe Marotta brought in former Juve coach Antonio Conte to replace Luciano Spalletti. A born winner, Conte's task is to infuse Inter with the kind of uncompromising mentality he instilled at Juve, where he won three Scudetti in a row, and with Chelsea, who stormed to the Premier League title in his first season in England.

Conte's preferred 3-5-2 system will benefit from intelligent additions in every department: the wily Diego Godin bolstering the defence, young Italy internationals Stefano Sensi and Nicolo Barella bringing craft and guile to midfield, and Romelu Lukaku, a €80 million acquisition from Manchester United, furnishing the new coach with the kind of battering ram striker he adores in attack. With Radja Nainggolan (loaned to Cagliari) and Ivan Perisic (loaned to Bayern Munich) gone and divisive former captain Mauro Icardi expected to follow, Inter will also hope to avoid some of the internal conflicts that hampered them in 2018-19.

"I don't have a magic wand, but it's up to me to show the way, and it'll be important for everyone to follow this path," Conte said earlier this summer. "A spirit of sacrifice, ferocity, passion and a great desire to work hard will be required if we want to have a season where we're one of the key players, as is our intention."

The race for Champions League qualification

Conte's return to his homeland maintains Serie A's quota of tigerish former Italy midfielders, following Gennaro Gattuso's departure from Milan in the wake of last season's disappointing fifth-place finish. Former Sampdoria coach Marco Giampaolo will look to add some sparkle to the Rossoneri's football, and with no European commitments to worry about, after Milan were excluded from the Europa League due to Financial Fair Play infringements, he will have plenty of time to hone his signature 4-3-1-2 system.

Ismael Bennacer, signed from Empoli after starring in Algeria's Africa Cup of Nations triumph, is an eye-catching acquisition in midfield, while young Portuguese forward Rafael Leao, bought from Lille for €35 million to replace the outgoing Patrick Cutrone (Wolves), will form a new-look strike partnership with Krzysztof Piatek, who hopes to put the curse of the Milan No. 9 shirt to bed after inheriting the jersey following his impressive start to life at San Siro last season.

Sixth last term, Roma are looking to new head coach Paulo Fonseca and a youthful squad to find calmer waters after a turbulent few months in which the Giallorossi parted ways with a coach (Eusebio Di Francesco), a sporting director (Monchi) and two club legends in Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi. Simone Inzaghi remains in charge across town at Lazio, where last season's Coppa Italia winners will attempt to improve on an eighth-place showing, despite modest dealings in the transfer window to date.

Then there is last season's surprise package, Atalanta, who were guided to a superb third-place finish by Gian Piero Gasperini. They must contend with the distraction of the first Champions League campaign in their 111-year history, which seems certain to take a toll on the squad over the first half of the season at least.

Other storylines to watch

The other clubs bidding to upset the established order include Sampdoria, where Di Francesco is now in charge, Walter Mazzarri's water-tight Torino and Bologna, who are likely to benefit from widespread neutral support following head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic's leukemia diagnosis. The former free-kick maestro, who steered Bologna to safety last season after arriving in January, has been watching training sessions and friendly matches from his hospital bed and delivering team talks via Skype.

Brescia, promoted from Serie B alongside Lecce and Verona, have generated plenty of column inches following Mario Balotelli's decision to sign for his hometown club. The striker, who spent the second half of last season at Marseille, is motivated by the ambition of claiming a spot in Italy's squad for Euro 2020, but national coach Roberto Mancini -- who knows the 29-year-old better than most -- has warned him to not expect any special treatment.

"I love him, but I can't do anything for him. He must remember that he's in the prime of his career and that he still has so much to give," Mancini told La Gazzetta. "It's all about how much he wants it."