Serie B

This article is about the Italian football league. For other uses, see Serie B (disambiguation).
Serie B
Country  Italy
Confederation UEFA
Founded 1929
Number of teams 22
Level on pyramid 2
Promotion to Serie A
Relegation to Lega Pro (Serie C)
Domestic cup(s) Coppa Italia
International cup(s) UEFA Europa League
(via winning Coppa Italia)
Current champions Cagliari
(2015–16)
Most championships Genoa
Atalanta (6 titles)
TV partners Sky Sport
Website legab.it
2016–17 Serie B

Serie B (Italian pronunciation: [ˈsɛːrje ˈbi]), currently named Serie B ConTe.it[1] due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the Serie A and Serie B. Common nicknames for the league are campionato cadetto and cadetteria, as cadetto is the Italian for junior or cadet.

Serie B was composed of 20 teams until the 2002–03 season. It was enlarged to 24 teams for the 2003–04 season due to legal problems relating to Calcio Catania relegation. The league reverted to 22 teams for the 2004–05 season, while Serie A expanded from 18 to 20 teams.

During the regular season, each team plays 42 games – two games against every opponent. In Italian football, a true round-robin format is used. In the first half of the season, called andata, each team plays once against all its opponents, a total of 21 games. In the second half of the season, called ritorno, each team will play the same teams in exactly the same order, the only difference being that a home game played in the first half will be an away game with that same team in the second half, and vice versa.

Since the 2006–07 season, the Serie B champion is awarded the cup Ali della Vittoria (Wings of Victory). The trophy is 63 cm high and weighs 5 kg. Its structure represents the wings of the goddess Nike, the goddess of victory, holding a cup similar to an olympic flame.

Serie B matches are usually played on Saturday. After one year where all games were played on Saturday, the league is again scheduling one game that is played on Friday called anticipo (the advanced game) and one game that is played on Monday called posticipo (the post-dated game). The league also plays on several Tuesdays to fit in all 42 games. The league also plays on Sunday if Serie A is off.

Promotion and relegation

At the end of the season, three teams are promoted to Serie A and four teams are relegated to the reformed Serie C (formerly Lega Pro Prima Divisione). The top two teams are automatically promoted. If the 3rd-placed team is 9 or more points ahead of the 4th-placed team, it too is automatically promoted, otherwise a playoff tournament determines the third team that will be promoted. Starting in the 2013–14 season, anywhere between two and six teams within a "playoff margin" of 14 points from the 3rd-placed team will enter the playoff tournament. Under the new playoff format, up to three rounds may be required. The final two rounds are two-legged ties, while opening round matches (if required) are single legs hosted by the higher-ranked team. If a tie is drawn at the end of regular play (one or two matches, depending on the round), extra time is played. If the two teams are still tied after thirty minutes, the higher classified team advances.

In the relegation zone, the three last-placed teams (20th, 21st and 22nd) are automatically demoted to Serie C. If the 18th-placed team is 5 or more points ahead of the 19th-placed team, then the 19th-placed team becomes the 4th and final team to be demoted, otherwise the conditions for a playoff more commonly called playout exist.

If the playout is necessary, the 18th and 19th-placed teams are paired in a two-legged series with home-field advantage in the 2nd leg going to the 18th-placed team. The team with the higher aggregate score remains in Serie B while the loser becomes the fourth team relegated to Serie C. If an aggregate tie exists at the end of regulation play of the 2nd leg, the 18th-placed team is saved, and the 19th-placed team is demoted.

Brief history

A junior football championship was created at first in Italy in 1904, after seven editions of the major tournament of FIGC: it was called Second Category, and was composed both by senior squads of town clubs and by youth teams of city clubs. If the first ones won the championship, they would be promoted to First Category, which consequentely improved in size: the first team to reach the honour, was Pro Vercelli in 1907, which even won the scudetto in 1908. FIGC attempted many times to introduce relegations on the contrary, but the reform was really adopted only in 1921 by the secessionist CCI in its Northern League, which consisted of a First Division and a Second Division: the first teams to be relegated were AC Vicenza and FC Inter even if, after the reunion with FIGC, the regulations were changed, and Venezia was demoted instead of the Milanese club. Even if part of the same league, differently from First Division, Second Division was based on local group with proximity criteria. Only in 1928, the big reform was conceived by FIGC's President Leandro Arpinati: after a year, a new second division based on the same national format of the major tournament would be born. Serie B began in 1929 with 18 clubs and continued until World War II after whom it was divided again between the northern and the southern part of the country, due to the destructions of the war. The championship became national again in 1948, and for many years in the second half of the 20th century, it was played by 20 clubs. In 2003–04 a single group of 24 teams was formed, the biggest in the history of all levels of the Italian championship. After 2004, a 22-teams format was introduced together with playoffs.

After Serie A split with Serie B to form Lega Serie A, Lega Serie B was formed on 7 July 2010. The league signed a new sponsor bwin for 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons; changed the league name from Serie B TIM to Serie Bwin.[2] The League changed again its name in Serie B ConTe.it due to sponsorship reasons.[3]

Serie B is the lowest division where five clubs have ever played: Torino, Juventus, Milan, Roma and Lazio.

Serie B introduced the "green card" at the beginning of the 2015–16 season. The green card is given to promote fair play and good acts. The green card will not be given during the game, as it would alter sport rules, but awarded after the match to a player or coach who exhibited fair play by the referee. The player or coach with the most green cards at the end of the season will be rewarded.[4]

Club Performances

Promotions by season

Prima Divisione

Season Winners Eventual other promotions
1926–27 Novara Pro Patria, Reggiana, Lazio
1927–28 Atalanta Pistoiese, Bari, Biellese, Venezia, Fiumana, Triestina, Legnano, Prato, Fiorentina
1928–29 Spezia –

Serie B

Season Winners Runners-up Third place Eventual other promotions
1929–30 Casale Legnano (La Dominante) –
1930–31 Fiorentina Bari (Palermo) –
1931–32 Palermo Padova (Verona) –
1932–33 Livorno Brescia (Modena) –
1933–34 Sampierdarenese (Bari) (Modena) –
1934–35 Genova 1893 Bari – –
1935–36 Lucchese Novara (Livorno) –
1936–37 Livorno Atalanta (Modena) –
1937–38 Modena Novara (Alessandria) –
1938–39 Fiorentina Venezia (Atalanta) –
1939–40 Atalanta Livorno (Lucchese) –
1940–41 Liguria Modena (Brescia) –
1941–42 Bari Vicenza (Pescara) –
1942–43 Modena Brescia (Napoli) –
1945–46 Alessandria (Pro Patria) (Vigevano) Napoli, Bari[lower-alpha 1]
1946–47 Gir. A: Pro Patria
Gir. B: Lucchese
Gir. C: Salernitana		 Gir. A: (Legnano)
Gir. B: (Padova)
Gir. C: (Ternana)		 Gir. A: (Novara)
Gir. B: (Empoli)
Gir. C: (Pescara)		 –
1947–48 Gir. A: Novara
Gir. B: Padova
Gir. C: Palermo		 Gir. A: (Brescia)
Gir. B: (Verona)
Gir. C: (Pisa)		 Gir. A: (Como)
Gir. B: (Spal)
Gir. C: (Lecce)		 –
1948–49 Como Venezia (Vicenza) –
1949–50 Napoli Udinese (Legnano) –
1950–51 SPAL Legnano (Modena) –
1951–52 Roma (Brescia) (Messina) –
1952–53 Genoa Legnano (Catania) –
1953–54 Catania Pro Patria (Cagliari) –
1954–55 Lanerossi Vicenza Padova (Modena) –
1955–56 Udinese Palermo (Como) –
1956–57 Verona Alessandria (Brescia) –
1957–58 Triestina Bari (Venezia) –
1958–59 Atalanta Palermo (Lecco) –
1959–60 Torino Lecco Catania –
1960–61 Venezia Ozo Mantova Palermo –
1961–62 Genoa Napoli Modena –
1962–63 Messina Bari Lazio –
1963–64 Varese Cagliari Foggia –
1964–65 Brescia Napoli SPAL –
1965–66 Venezia Lecco Mantova –
1966–67 Sampdoria Varese (Catanzaro) –
1967–68 Palermo Verona Pisa –
1968–69 Lazio Brescia Bari –
1969–70 Varese Foggia Catania –
1970–71 Mantova Atalanta Catanzaro –
1971–72 Ternana Lazio Palermo –
1972–73 Genoa Cesena Foggia –
1973–74 Varese Ascoli Ternana –
1974–75 Perugia Como Verona –
1975–76 Genoa Catanzaro Foggia –
1976–77 Lanerossi Vicenza Atalanta Pescara –
1977–78 Ascoli Catanzaro Avellino –
1978–79 Udinese Cagliari Pescara –
1979–80 Como Pistoiese Brescia –
1980–81 Milan Genoa Cesena –
1981–82 Verona Pisa Sampdoria –
1982–83 Milan Lazio Catania –
1983–84 Atalanta Como Cremonese –
1984–85 Pisa Lecce Bari –
1985–86 Ascoli Brescia (Lanerossi Vicenza) Empoli
1986–87 Pescara Pisa Cesena –
1987–88 Bologna Lecce Lazio Atalanta
1988–89 Genoa Bari Udinese Cremonese
1989–90 Torino Pisa Cagliari Parma
1990–91 Foggia Verona Cremonese Ascoli
1991–92 Brescia Pescara Ancona Udinese
1992–93 Reggiana Cremonese Piacenza Lecce
1993–94 Fiorentina Bari Brescia Padova
1994–95 Piacenza Udinese Vicenza Atalanta
1995–96 Bologna Verona Perugia Reggiana
1996–97 Brescia Empoli Lecce Bari
1997–98 Salernitana Venezia Cagliari Perugia
1998–99 Verona Torino Reggina Lecce
1999–00 Vicenza Atalanta Brescia Napoli
2000–01 Torino Piacenza Chievo Venezia
2001–02 Como Modena Reggina Empoli
2002–03 Siena Sampdoria Lecce Ancona
2003–04 Palermo Cagliari Livorno Messina, Atalanta, Fiorentina[lower-alpha 2]
2004–05 (Genoa) Empoli (Torino) Treviso, Ascoli
2005–06 Atalanta Catania Torino –
2006–07 Juventus Napoli Genoa –
2007–08 Chievo Bologna Lecce –
2008–09 Bari Parma Livorno –
2009–10 Lecce Cesena Brescia –
2010–11 Atalanta Siena Novara –
2011–12 Pescara Torino (Sassuolo) Sampdoria
2012–13 Sassuolo Verona Livorno –
2013–14 Palermo Empoli (Latina) Cesena
2014–15 Carpi Frosinone (Vicenza) Bologna
2015–16 Cagliari Crotone (Trapani) Pescara

Performance by club

Updated at the end of 2015–16 season

Club Winners Runners-up Winning Years
Genoa 6 1 1935, 1953, 1962, 1973, 1976, 1989
Atalanta 6 3 1928, 1940, 1959, 1984, 2006, 2011
Palermo 5 2 1932, 1948, 1968, 2004, 2014
Bari 4 6 1935, 1942, 1946, 2009
Brescia 3 6 1965, 1992, 1997
Verona 3 5 1957, 1982, 1999
Como 3 2 1949, 1980, 2002
Torino 3 2 1960, 1990, 2001
Varese 3 1 1964, 1970, 1974
Vicenza 3 1 1955, 1977, 2000
Fiorentina 3 – 1931, 1939, 1994
Novara 3 3 1927, 1938, 1948
Venezia 2 3 1961, 1966
Napoli 2 3 1946, 1950
Pescara 2 2 1987, 2012
Udinese 2 2 1956, 1979
Ascoli 2 1 1978, 1986
Livorno 2 1 1933, 1937
Bologna 2 1 1988, 1996
Lucchese 2 – 1936, 1947
Milan 2 – 1981, 1983
Salernitana 2 – 1947, 1998
Modena 1 4 1943
Pisa 1 4 1985
Cagliari 1 3 2016
Padova 1 3 1948
Lazio 1 2 1969
Lecce 1 2 2010
Perugia 1 2 1975
Pro Patria 1 2 1947
Alessandria 1 1 1946
Catania 1 1 1954
Empoli 1 1 2005
Foggia 1 1 1991
Mantova 1 1 1971
Piacenza 1 1 1995
Reggiana 1 1 1993
Sampdoria 1 1 1967
Siena 1 1 2003
Ternana 1 1 1972
Carpi 1 – 2015
Casale 1 – 1930
Chievo 1 – 2008
Juventus 1 – 2007
Liguria 1 - 1941
Messina 1 – 1963
Roma 1 – 1952
Sampierdarenese 1 - 1934
Sassuolo 1 – 2013
SPAL 1 – 1951
Triestina 1 – 1958
Spezia 1 – 1929
Legnano – 4 –
Catanzaro – 2 –
Cesena – 2 –
Lecco – 2 –
Cremonese – 1 –
Crotone – 1 –
Frosinone – 1 –
Parma – 1 –
Pistoiese – 1 –
Treviso – 1 –

Titles by region

Updated at the end of 2015–16 season

Region Titles Winning Clubs
 Lombardia
18
 Atalanta (6), Brescia (3), Como (3), Varese (3), Milan (2), Mantova (1), Pro Patria (1)
 Toscana
10
 Fiorentina (3), Livorno (2), Lucchese (2), Empoli (1), Pisa (1), Siena (1)
 Veneto
10
 Verona (3), Vicenza (3), Venezia (2), Chievo (1), Padova (1)
 Liguria
9
 Genoa (6), Liguria (1), Sampdoria (1), Sampierdarenese (1), Spezia (1)
 Emilia-Romagna
8
 Bologna (2), Carpi (1), Modena (1), Piacenza (1), Reggiana (1), Sassuolo (1), SPAL (1)
 Piemonte
8
 Torino (3), Novara (3), Alessandria (1), Casale (1), Juventus (1)
 Sicilia
7
 Palermo (5), Catania (1), Messina (1)
 Puglia
6
 Bari (4), Foggia (1), Lecce (1)
 Campania
4
 Salernitana (2), Napoli (2)
 Friuli-Venezia Giulia
3
 Udinese (2), Triestina (1)
 Abruzzo
2
 Pescara (2)
 Lazio
2
 Lazio (1), Roma (1)
 Marche
2
 Ascoli (2)
 Umbria
2
 Perugia (1), Ternana (1)
 Sardinia
1
 Cagliari (1)

Titles by city

Updated at the end of 2015–16 season

City Titles Winning Clubs
Genoa
9
 Genoa (6), Liguria (1), Sampdoria (1), Sampierdarenese (1)
Bergamo
6
 Atalanta (6)
Palermo
5
 Palermo (5)
Turin
4
 Torino (3), Juventus (1)
Verona
4
 Verona (3), Chievo (1)
Bari
4
 Bari (4)
Brescia
3
 Brescia (3)
Como
3
 Como (3)
Florence
3
 Fiorentina (3)
Varese
3
 Varese (3)
Vicenza
3
 Vicenza (3)
Novara
3
 Novara (3)
Ascoli Piceno
2
 Ascoli (2)
Bologna
2
 Bologna (2)
Livorno
2
 Livorno (2)
Lucca
2
 Lucchese (2)
Milan
2
 Milan (2)
Naples
2
 Napoli (2)
Pescara
2
 Pescara (2)
Rome
2
 Lazio (1), Roma (1)
Salerno
2
 Salernitana (2)
Udine
2
 Udinese (2)
Venice
2
 Venezia (2)
Alessandria
1
 Alessandria (1)
Busto Arsizio
1
 Pro Patria (1)
Cagliari
1
 Cagliari (1)
Carpi
1
 Carpi (1)
Casale Monferrato
1
 Casale (1)
Catania
1
 Catania (1)
Empoli
1
 Empoli (1)
Ferrara
1
 SPAL (1)
Foggia
1
 Foggia (1)
La Spezia
1
 Spezia (1)
Lecce
1
 Lecce (1)
Mantua
1
 Mantova (1)
Messina
1
 Messina (1)
Modena
1
 Modena (1)
Padua
1
 Padova (1)
Perugia
1
 Perugia (1)
Piacenza
1
 Piacenza (1)
Pisa
1
 Pisa (1)
Reggio Emilia
1
 Reggiana (1)
Sassuolo
1
 Sassuolo (1)
Siena
1
 Siena (1)
Terni
1
 Ternana (1)
Trieste
1
 Triestina (1)

Promotions by region

Updated at the end of 2015–16 season

Region Promotions Promoted Clubs
 Lombardia
48
 Atalanta (12), Brescia (11), Como (5), Cremonese (4), Varese (4), Legnano (3), Mantova (3), Lecco (2), Milan (2), Pro Patria (2)
 Veneto
26
 Verona (8), Venezia (6), Vicenza (5), Padova (4), Chievo (2), Treviso (1)
 Puglia
25
 Bari (12), Lecce (8), Foggia (5)
 Emilia-Romagna
25
 Modena (5), Cesena (5), Bologna (4), Piacenza (3), Reggiana (2), SPAL (2), Parma (2), Carpi (1), Sassuolo (1)
 Toscana
23
 Pisa (5), Empoli (5), Fiorentina (4), Livorno (4), Lucchese (2), Siena (2), Pistoiese (1)
 Sicilia
16
 Palermo (9), Catania (5), Messina (2)
 Liguria
14
 Genoa (8), Sampdoria (4), Liguria (1), Sampierdarenese (1)
 Piemonte
14
 Torino (6), Novara (4), Alessandria (2), Casale (1), Juventus (1)
 Campania
9
 Napoli (6), Salernitana (2), Avellino (1)
 Friuli-Venezia Giulia
7
 Udinese (6), Triestina (1)
 Lazio
7
 Lazio (5), Frosinone (1), Roma (1)
 Marche
7
 Ascoli (5), Ancona (2)
 Abruzzo
6
 Pescara (6)
 Calabria
6
 Catanzaro (3), Reggina (2), Crotone (1)
 Sardinia
6
 Cagliari (6)
 Umbria
5
 Perugia (3), Ternana (2)

Complete team list

Seasons in Serie B

This is the complete list of the clubs that have taken part in the 83 Serie B seasons played from 1929–30 to 2016–17 Serie B season.[5][lower-alpha 3] The teams in bold compete in Serie B in the current season.

The Serie B-C Alta Italia post-war championship

This championship was organized by geographical criteria with only Northern Italy Serie B and the best Northern Italy Serie C teams taking part. Southern Italy Serie B teams took part to 1945–46 Serie A. For this reason, this championship is not included in the statistics.

Serie B members for 2016–17

Team Home city Stadium Capacity 2015–16 season
Ascoli Ascoli Del Duca 20,550 15th in Serie B
Avellino Avellino Partenio 26,000 14th in Serie B
Bari Bari San Nicola 58,270 5th in Serie B
Benevento Benevento Ciro Vigorito 12,847 Lega Pro/C Champions
Brescia Brescia Mario Rigamonti 16,308 11th in Serie B
Carpi Carpi Stadio Alberto Braglia (Modena) 21,151 18th in Serie A
Cesena Cesena Dino Manuzzi 23,900 6th in Serie B
Cittadella Cittadella Pier Cesare Tombolato 7,623 Lega Pro/A Champions
Frosinone Frosinone Stadio Matusa 10,000 19th in Serie A
Latina Latina Domenico Francioni 6,850 16th in Serie B
Novara Novara Silvio Piola 17,875 8th in Serie B
Perugia Perugia Renato Curi 28,000 10th in Serie B
Pisa Pisa Arena Garibaldi 14,869 Lega Pro Playoff Winners
Pro Vercelli Vercelli Silvio Piola 5,500 17th in Serie B
Salernitana Salerno Arechi 37,245 18th in Serie B
SPAL Ferrara Paolo Mazza 17,955 Lega Pro/B Champions
Spezia La Spezia Alberto Picco 10,000 7th in Serie B
Ternana Terni Libero Liberati 17,500 12th in Serie B
Trapani Trapani Provinciale (Erice) 7,000 3rd in Serie B
Verona Verona Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi 38,402 20th in Serie A
Vicenza Vicenza Romeo Menti 17,163 13th in Serie B
Virtus Entella Chiavari Comunale 4,154 9th in Serie B

List of Lega Serie B presidents

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1945–46 Serie A-B Southern Italy co-champions.
  2. ↑ Due to expansion from 18 teams to 20 teams of Serie A.
  3. ↑ The championship was suspended from 1943 to 1945 due to WWII, and the 1945–46 northern edition is not statistically considered by FIGC, even if its promotion result was official.

References

  1. ↑ "ECCO IL CALENDARIO UFFICIALE DELLA SERIE B CONTE.IT 2015/16"" [HERE IS THE OFFICIAL CALENDAR OF THE SERIE B CONTE.IT 2015/16"] (in Italian). Lega Serie B. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  2. ↑ "Dalla nuova Lega Serie B, nasce il campionato Serie bwin". Lega Serie B (in Italian). 7 July 2010. Archived from the original on 12 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
  3. ↑ "Ecco il calendario ufficiale della Serie B ConTe.it". legab.it (in Italian). Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie B. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  4. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/italy-serie-b-to-introduce-green-cards-for-fair-play-rewards-given-after-season-090415
  5. ↑ "Italy - Serie B All-Time Table 1929–2011". rsssf.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "Comunicato ufficiale N.2" (PDF). legaserieb.it (in Italian). Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie B. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
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