Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti expects Barcelona to contend for a first Champions League title since 2015 after their signings this close season.
The five-time European champions have fallen short in the continent's premier club competition in recent seasons, including an extraordinary semi-final loss to Liverpool in 2018-19.
Ancelotti, whose side face Barca in a friendly in Florida on Wednesday, feels Ernesto Valverde's men should be contenders once more this season after seeing the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Frenkie de Jong arrive.
"I believe that Barcelona is always a candidate to win the Champions League," he told a news conference.
"It has a player like [Lionel] Messi and many others, so I think they always compete to win the maximum and the maximum is the Champions League.
"I think that with the signings they have done, this year will be very competitive."
What’s it like to be on tour with Barça?
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 6, 2019
Come along and we’ll show you! pic.twitter.com/WLoC3EjKiw
Napoli are also looking to move forward after finishing second in Serie A and getting knocked out in the Champions League group stage.
Ancelotti believes LaLiga and the Premier League remain the world's best competitions, but added Serie A is improving.
"At the moment, Italian football is a little below LaLiga and the Premier League, but something is moving," he said.
"Last year Cristiano [Ronaldo] arrived [at Juventus], which is very important for our league. I think in the future Italian football is going to reach the level.
"The stadiums are being renovated and I think that little by little Italy will be better."
Top Headlines
Featured Matches
Football
Arsenal
English Premier League
2-0
Brighton and Hove Albion
Aston Villa
English Premier League
2-0
Chelsea
Fulham
English Premier League
0-1
Newcastle United
Leeds United
English Premier League
2-0
West Bromwich Albion
Leicester City
English Premier League
2-1
Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester City
English Premier League
2-0
Everton
Liverpool
English Premier League
1-0
Crystal Palace
Cricket
Sussex
Sri Lanka
Teams will be announced at the toss
Multan Sul..
Quetta Gla..
Teams will be announced at the toss
Islamabad..
Karachi Ki..
Teams will be announced at the toss
Peshawar Z..
Lahore Qal..
Teams will be announced at the toss
Islamabad..
Quetta Gla..
Teams will be announced at the toss
Lahore Qal..
Islamabad..
Teams will be announced at the toss
Mumbai Ind..
Delhi Capi..
Teams will be announced at the toss