The 2003–04 Serie A was the 102nd season of top-tier Italian football, the 72nd in a round-robin tournament. It contained 18 teams for the 16th and last time from the 1988–89 season. With the bottom three being relegated, the 15th placed side would face the sixth-highest team from Serie B, with the winner playing in the Serie A in the subsequent 2004–05 season.
The 2002–03 Serie A was the 101st season of top-tier Italian football, the 71st in a round-robin tournament. It was composed by 18 teams, for the 15th consecutive time from season 1988–89.
The 2003–04 season was the 104th season in Società Sportiva Lazio's history and their 16th consecutive season in the top-flight of Italian football. Despite financial problems, Lazio attained a respectable 6th place in Serie A and won the Coppa Italia, defeating Juventus in the two-legged final.
In 2002–03, Associazione Calcio Milan enjoyed a triumphant season, winning both the UEFA Champions League and the Coppa Italia. In their 6th conquest of Europe's most prestigious competition, Milan defeated fierce rivals Juventus on penalties after a 0–0 draw in an all-Italian final, while in the Coppa Italia they overcame Roma. In the Serie A, Milan were top of the table in January, but would eventually finish 3rd behind Juventus and Inter, thus missing the chance to complete the treble.
The 1999–2000 season saw Associazione Sportiva Roma continue its long drought of titles, finishing a frustrating 6th place in Serie A.
Parma Associazione Calcio regained its respect following a lacklustre Serie A and Champions League performance the year before. Under new coach Cesare Prandelli, Parma played an offensive 4–3–3 formation, in which new offensive signings Adrian Mutu and Adriano starred. Both made up for the departure of Marco Di Vaio to Juventus. Mutu scored 18 goals from the left wing, and Parma accepted a multimillion-pound offer from Chelsea in the summer, which meant the Romanian international only spent a year at the club. Also impressing were goalkeeper Sébastien Frey and young centre-halves Matteo Ferrari and Daniele Bonera, who proved to be acceptable replacements for departed captain Fabio Cannavaro, who had joined Inter in late August 2002.
Associazione Sportiva Roma crashed down to earth following its previous two remarkable seasons, where it had won Serie A in 2000–01 and finished a close second in 2001–02. Despite the acquisition of Pep Guardiola as central midfielder, he did not apparently fit into Fabio Capello's first-team plans. The squad was essentially the same as the year before, and Guardiola's absence from the starting XI spoke volumes about the reputation of the Roma players at the time. However, things began to go against Roma following its tense competition in Serie A with Juventus. Suspecting things were amiss, both chairman Franco Sensi and manager Capello publicly condemned the judgements, and given the Calciopoli scandal in 2006, chances are they had a point.
Associazione Sportiva Roma was left trailing in the wake of city rivals Lazio's resurgence to fight for domestic and international glory. In coach Zdeněk Zeman's second season at the reins, Roma finished fifth in the table, and just missed out on qualification for the final Champions League spot. Roma reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup, but lost to Atlético Madrid.
The 2003–04 season was Juventus Football Club's 106th in existence and 102nd consecutive season in the top flight of Italian football.
In 2003–04, Associazione Calcio Milan managed to claim their first Serie A title since 1998–99. Arguably, this was the pinnacle of Carlo Ancelotti's Milan side, as the players proved they had the ability to perform effectively for the whole season.
The 2003–04 season was Football Club Internazionale Milano's 95th in existence and 88th consecutive season in the top flight of Italian football.
During the 2003–04 season Parma Associazione Calcio competed in Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup.
Associazione Sportiva Roma endured possibly its most troubled season ever, in which the club almost went from a genuine title threat to relegation. Despite its eight place, the 18th placed Bologna was only a few points behind in the close table.
The 2005–06 season was Football Club Internazionale Milano's 97th in existence and 90th consecutive season in the top flight of Italian football.
The 2005–06 season saw Associazione Sportiva Roma experience several ups and downs, as it went through periods of poor form which bracketed a then-record 11 match winning streak in Serie A. Despite this period of excellent form, the club originally finished just fifth in the final standings, before Juventus, Milan and Fiorentina all were declared of varying guilt in a scandal that rocked Italian football in the summer of 2006. The resulting point deductions directed toward all three aforementioned clubs promoted Roma to second in the final standings.
AC Milan had a second consecutive disastrous season. Fabio Capello returned as coach, following the dismal second half of the 1996–97 league campaign, but failed to turn the corner, and Milan was a shadow of the team he had left the year before. With Capello's reputation seemingly ruined, he was sacked at the end of the season, with Milan finishing a mere 10th in the league.
U.C. Sampdoria returned to Serie A after a four year-absence, and immediately re-established itself as a team on the top half of the domestic championship. Goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli offered crucial experience, but apart from him did the bulk of the squad play in the 2002-03 Serie B, with top goalscorers Fabio Bazzani and Francesco Flachi quickly adjusting themselves to the higher pace of Serie A. Midfielders Sergio Volpi and Angelo Palombo also stood out. Right back Aimo Diana even earned a call-up to the national team following his performances.
During the 2003–04 Italian football season, Brescia Calcio competed in the Serie A.
During the 2003–04 Italian football season, U.S. Lecce competed in the Serie A.
