Juve's clash with Real Madrid marks end of high-profile clashes before 'Year Zero' restart

The marquee fixtures are thinning out. Juventus, Serie A champions nine times in the past 12 years, had expected to play Barcelona in California to start their pre-season tour 11 days ago. That event was cancelled due to a sudden bout of illness in the opposition squad.

And the diary keeps on emptying. Juventus would normally have hoped that 22 wins and six draws in the league last season would be enough to take up their customary place in the European Champions League come September. But a series of past misdemeanours caught up with them.

Charges of false accounting against the club meant a 10-point deduction, leaving them seventh, not third – the reward for 72 points – in the table.

Uefa then examined how Juventus had misrepresented their balance sheets to the European governing body. They have imposed a year-long ban from their competitions. There will be no adventure even in the Conference League, the usual reward for seventh spot in Serie A in 2023/24.

So it is that when Juve take to the pitch in Florida against Real Madrid in a glorified friendly, they should cherish what it feels like to be in heavyweight company. It will be a while until the next encounter with a so-called superclub.

The league season begins later this month with games against Udinese, Bologna and Empoli. By the time Juve visit AC Milan in late October, the Champions League, the Europa League and the minor sibling of the Uefa hierarchy, the Conference League, will be up and running without any trace of Italy’s figurehead club.

It is a significant blow, a crossroads moment. Some Juve followers use the phrase "Year Zero" for what the coming season represents for a club who in each of the past 11 campaigns have always reached the knockout stages of