The 2005–06 Serie A season opened with success in the Supercoppa Italiana, beating Juventus 1–0 in extra time with a goal scored by Verón.[2] During the Champions League group stage, the side managed to have a line-up of 11 foreign players on the pitch: the only European was Luís Figo, playing the second time.[3] Despite a good first half (also including a 3–2 win in derby, that lacked since 2002)[4] Inter did not have a great second half,[5] and knocked out in the Champions League by Villarreal.[6]
On the pitch, the season finished like the previous with third place and the win of the Coppa Italia against Roma.[7] However, during the summer after the World Cup, Juventus and A.C. Milan were caught in the Calciopoli scandal: in late July, a few weeks after Italian national team triumph in Germany, Juventus was stripped of the title, and Inter was awarded the 2005–06 title.[8] Further, the relegation of Juventus to Serie B made Inter the only club to be present in all seasons of the modern Serie A (from 1929–30).
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
^Mihajlović was born in Vukovar, Yugoslavia (now Croatia), but also qualified to represent Serbia and Montenegro (now Serbia) internationally through his father and represented them internationally following the dissolution of Yugoslavia.
