Serie B

Serie B

The Serie B logo
Countries Italy Italy
Confederation UEFA
Founded 1929
Number of teams 22
Levels on pyramid 2
Promotion to Serie A
Relegation to Lega Pro Prima Divisione
Domestic cup(s) Coppa Italia
Current champions Lecce
(2009–10)
Most championships Genoa (Six times)
Website LegaSerieB.it

Serie B currently called Serie bwin due to sponsorship by bwin, is the name of the second highest football league in Italy. It consists of 22 teams. The championship is often called the cadetti, which means 'juniors' or 'cadets', or campionato cadetto. It is organized by Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio (that previously took care of the league together with Serie A).

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 the exact 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.

Contents

Promotion and relegation

At the end of the season, three teams are promoted to Serie A and four teams are relegated to Lega Pro Prima Divisione. The top two teams are automatically promoted. If the 3rd-placed team is 10 or more points ahead of the 4th-placed team, it too is automatically promoted, otherwise the 3rd through 6th-placed teams enter a playoff tournament to determine the other team that will be promoted.

If the playoff conditions exist, the first round pairs the 3rd-placed team vs the 6th-placed team and the 4th-placed team vs the 5th-placed team in a double-leg series with the higher classified team having home-field advantage in the 2nd leg. The team with the higher aggregate score moves on to the second round. If at the end of regular play in the second leg an aggregate tie exists, the higher classified team moves on. The away goals rule is not used.

The two winners then play in a two-legged 'final' under a similar format with the higher-classified team at home in the second leg. The only difference being that if an aggregate tie exists at the end of regular play in the second leg, extra time is played. If the two teams are still tied after thirty minutes, the higher classified team is the one promoted.

In the relegation zone, the three last-placed teams (20th,21st and 22nd) are automatically demoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione. 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 Lega Pro Prima Divisione. 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 SSC 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 WWII 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 all 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 season; changed the league name from Serie B TIM in the last season to Serie bwin.[1]

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

Club performances

Promotions by season

Season Winners Runners-up Third Place 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) –
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 S.P.A.L. 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 S.P.A.L. –
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 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 [2]
2004–05 Empoli (Torino) (Perugia) 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 –

Performance by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning Years
Genoa 6 1 1935, 1953, 1962, 1973, 1976, 1989
Atalanta 4 3 1940, 1959, 1984, 2006
Bari 3 6 1935, 1942, 2009
Brescia 3 6 1965, 1992, 1997
Verona 3 4 1957, 1982, 1999
Como 3 2 1949, 1980, 2002
Palermo 3 2 1932, 1968, 2004
Sampdoria (2 as Liguria) 3 1 1934, 1941, 1967
Torino 3 1 1960, 1990, 2001
Varese 3 1 1964, 1970, 1974
Vicenza 3 1 1955, 1977, 2000
Fiorentina 3 – 1931, 1939, 1994
Venezia 2 3 1961, 1966
Novara 2 2 1938, 1948
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
Padova 1 3 1948
Lazio 1 2 1969
Napoli 1 3 1950
Lecce 1 2 2010
Perugia 1 2 1975
Pescara 1 2 1987
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
Ternana 1 1 1972
Casale 1 – 1930
Chievo 1 – 2008
Juventus 1 – 2007
Messina 1 – 1963
Reggiana 1 – 1993
Roma 1 – 1952
Siena 1 – 2003
Spal 1 – 1951
Triestina 1 – 1958
Legnano – 4 –
Cagliari – 3 –
Catanzaro – 2 –
Cesena – 2 –
Lecco – 2 –
Cremonese – 1 –
Parma – 1 –
Pistoiese – 1 –
Treviso – 1 –

Titles by region

Region Titles Winning Clubs
 Lombardia
16
 Atalanta (4), 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), Sampdoria (3)
 Piemonte
8
 Torino (3), Novara (2), Alessandria (1), Casale (1), Juventus (1)
 Emilia-Romagna
6
 Bologna (2), Modena (1), Piacenza (1), Reggiana (1), SPAL (1)
 Puglia
5
 Bari (3), Foggia (1), Lecce (1)
 Sicilia
5
 Palermo (3), Catania (1), Messina (1)
 Campania
3
 Salernitana (2), Napoli (1)
 Friuli-Venezia Giulia
3
 Udinese (2), Triestina (1)
 Lazio
2
 Lazio (1), Roma (1)
 Marche
2
 Ascoli (2)
 Umbria
2
 Perugia (1), Ternana (1)
 Abruzzo
1
 Pescara (1)

Titles by city

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

Promotions by region

Region Promotions Promoted Clubs
 Lombardia
45
 Atalanta (11), Brescia (11), Como (5), Cremonese (4), Varese (4), Legnano (3), Mantova (3), Lecco (2), Milan (2), Pro Patria (2)
 Veneto
25
 Verona (7), Venezia (6), Vicenza (5), Padova (4), Chievo (2), Treviso (1)
 Puglia
22
 Bari (9), Lecce (8), Foggia (5)
 Emilia-Romagna
21
 Modena (5), Cesena (4), Bologna (3), Piacenza (3), Reggiana (2), Spal (2), Parma (2)
 Toscana
21
 Pisa (5), Empoli (4), Fiorentina (4), Livorno (4), Lucchese (2), Pistoiese (1), Siena (1)
 Sicilia
15
 Palermo (8), Catania (5), Messina (2)
 Liguria
13
 Genoa (8), Sampdoria (5)
 Piemonte
12
 Torino (5), Novara (3), Alessandria (2), Casale (1), Juventus (1)
 Campania
8
 Napoli (5), Salernitana (2), Avellino (1)
 Friuli-Venezia Giulia
7
 Udinese (6), Triestina (1)
 Marche
7
 Ascoli (5), Ancona (2)
 Lazio
6
 Lazio (5), Roma (1)
 Calabria
5
 Catanzaro (3), Reggina (2)
 Sardegna
5
 Cagliari (5)
 Umbria
5
 Perugia (3), Ternana (2)
 Abruzzo
4
 Pescara (4)

Complete team list

Seasons in Serie B

These are the 133 clubs which took part to the 78 Serie B editions played from 1929–30 to 2009–10.[3] The bolded teams competes 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 Serie A 1945-46. For this reason, this championship is not included in the statistics.

Serie B members for 2010–11

The following twenty-two clubs will be competing in Serie B during the 2009–10 season.

Club
 Finishing position
in 2009–10		 First season in
Serie B		 First season of
current spell in
Serie B		 Last season in
Serie A
AlbinoLeffe 11th 2003–04 2003–04 Never
Ancona 17th 1937–38 2008–09 2003–04
Ascoli 9th 1972–73 2007–08 2006–07
Atalanta 18th n Serie A 1929–30 2010–11 2009–10
Cittadella 6th 2000–01 2008–09 Never
Crotone 8th 2000–01 2009–10 Never
Empoli 10th 1946–47 2008–09 2007–08
Frosinone 16th 2006–07 2006–07 Never
Grosseto 7th 2007–08 2007–08 Never
Livorno 20th in Serie A 1931–32 2010–11 2009–10
Modena 12th 1932–33 2004–05 2003–04
Novara Prima Divisione/A champions 1929–30 2010–11 1955–56
Padova 19th 1930–31 2009–10 1995–96
Pescara Prima Divisione/B play-off winners 1941–42 2010–11 1992–93
Piacenza 15th 1987–88 2003–04 2002–03
Portosummaga Prima Divisione/B champions 2010–11 2010–11 Never
Reggina 13th 1965–66 2009–10 2008–09
Sassuolo 4th 2008–09 2008–09 Never
Siena 19th in Serie A 1935–36 2010–11 2009–10
Torino 5th 1959–60 2009–10 2008–09
Varese Prima Divisione/A play-off winners 1946–47 2010–11 1974–75
Vicenza 14th 1933–34 2001–02 2000–01

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Dalla nuova Lega Serie B, nasce il campionato Serie bwin" (in Italian). Lega Serie B. 7 July 2010. http://www.legaserieb.it/comunicato2.html. Retrieved 7 July 2010. 
  2. ↑ Due to expand 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 its promotion result was official.
  4. ↑ Including seasons as Liguria, Sampierdarenese and Dominante.
Serie B • 2010–11
AlbinoLeffe · Ascoli · Atalanta · Cittadella · Crotone · Empoli · Frosinone · Grosseto · Livorno  · Modena · Novara · Padova · Pescara · Piacenza · Portogruaro · Reggina · Siena · Sassuolo · Torino · Triestina · Varese · Vicenza
Serie B seasons
Serie B seasons
1929–30 · 1930–31 · 1931–32 · 1932–33 · 1933–34 · 1934–35 · 1935–36 · 1936–37 · 1937–38 · 1938–39 · 1939–40 · 1940–41 · 1941–42 · 1942–43 · 1943–44 · 1944–45 · 1945–46 · 1946–47 · 1947–48 · 1948–49 · 1949–50 · 1950–51 · 1951–52 · 1952–53 · 1953–54 · 1954–55 · 1955–56 · 1956–57 · 1957–58 · 1958–59 · 1959–60 · 1960–61 · 1961–62 · 1962–63 · 1963–64 · 1964–65 · 1965–66 · 1966–67 · 1967–68 · 1968–69 · 1969–70 · 1970–71 · 1971–72 · 1972–73 · 1973–74 · 1974–75 · 1975–76 · 1976–77 · 1977–78 · 1978–79 · 1979–80 · 1980–81 · 1981–82 · 1982–83 · 1983–84 · 1984–85 · 1985–86 · 1986–87 · 1987–88 · 1988–89 · 1989–90 · 1990–91 · 1991–92 · 1992–93 · 1993–94 · 1994–95 · 1995–96 · 1996–97 · 1997–98 · 1998–99 · 1999–00 · 2000–01 · 2001–02 · 2002–03 · 2003–04 · 2004–05 · 2005–06 · 2006–07 · 2007–08 · 2008–09 · 2009–10 · 2010–11
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Serie B-C Alta Italia 1945–46
†Championships recognized as official by the Italian Football Federation
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