As the 2024/25 Italian football season races toward its climax, the lower divisions are brimming with gripping storylines. From promotion duels to dramatic relegation battles, involving slumbering giants and darkhorses, the action beyond Serie A is as compelling as ever…
At the sharp end of Serie B, Pippo Inzaghi’s Pisa look poised to seal a return to the top flight for the first time in over thirty years. Inzaghi has once again proven himself to be a master tactician in the second tier, with the Tuscans holding a firm grip on the second automatic promotion spot. Backed by Anglo-American billionaire benefactor, Alexander Knaster, Pisa are already investing in stadium upgrades to ensure their home is ready to host Serie A football come August.
In the Serie B play-off positions, two newly promoted teams—Cesena and Juve Stabia—are aiming for an unlikely back-to-back promotion. Juve Stabia, based just south of Naples in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, have never competed in Serie A. Operating with one of the smaller budgets in the division, their promotion bid would be nothing short of miraculous. If you’re into macabre trivia, it’s worth noting that their squad includes Romano Floriani Mussolini, the great-grandson of Benito Mussolini.
At the other end of the table, the battle to avoid relegation is intensifying. Cosenza appear doomed at the foot of the table, while the next nine teams are separated by just five points. Salernitana, currently in second-to-last position, are staring down the barrel of consecutive relegations and fast running out of road with just 7 matches remaining.
Perhaps the biggest shock of the season has been Sampdoria’s precarious position in the Serie B relegation play-out spots. The Blucerchiati invested heavily during the summer, signing 17 players, and then further strengthened in January with 10 more new additions. However, their struggles have been evident—five different goalkeepers and three different coaches this season paint a picture of their malaise. Relegation to Serie C, unthinkable for such a storied club, is suddenly a very real possibility.
Embed from Getty ImagesItaly’s third tier, Serie C, is split into three regional divisions, and an exciting promotion race is unfolding in the northern section (Girone A). Bitter rivals Vicenza and Padova, separated by just 30km, are locked in a battle for the single automatic promotion spot. The losers will face the 28-team Serie C play-offs. Padova seemed to have one hand on the championship trophy with a 10-point lead at Christmas, but their form has faltered since. In contrast, Vicenza, having lost just once since then, moved to the top of the league last weekend for the first time this season.
In the central Girone B, the most intriguing story is unfolding at the bottom of the table. Big-spending SPAL, who were in Serie A as recently as 2020, are flirting with relegation, having won just twice since November. Should they end up in the relegation play-outs, they may face Milan Futuro, AC Milan’s development team, currently sitting in 18th place. With talented players like Francesco Camarda and Alex Jimenez, Milan Futuro have no shortage of talent, but face the possibility of a humiliating relegation to the semi-professional ranks. In a bid to save the project, the club brought in a series of veteran Serie B players in January, but their survival remains in jeopardy.
The southern section of Serie C (Girone C) is serving up a David versus Goliath title race between sleeping giants Avellino and upstarts Audace Cerignola. Avellino, whose stadium hosted the UEFA Cup Final in 1990, are fighting their way back after their controversial exclusion from Serie B in 2018. Meanwhile, Audace Cerignola, who have young Irish midfielder Ed McJannet in their ranks, are aiming for promotion to Serie B for the first time in their history. With just a one-point gap separating the two clubs and four matches remaining, this race is set to go down to the wire.
Embed from Getty ImagesSerie D, Italy’s semi-professional fourth tier, is divided into nine regional groups. In Group E, fallen giants Livorno are on the verge of securing promotion to Serie C. Following their 2021 restart in the fifth tier, the Tuscan club—who were competing in the UEFA Cup as recently as 2007—have this season surged to a 13-point lead. With a victory this weekend, Livorno can guarantee their return to the third tier.
In Group I, Calabrian giants Reggina are in hot pursuit of promotion, trailing Sicilian club Siracusa by four points, though they have a game in hand. Finishing first is crucial, as only the top spot guarantees automatic promotion, while second place will enter a 39-team cross-division play-off. Even if they succeed in the play-offs, promotion is not guaranteed, as it depends on a convoluted bureaucratic process involving potential withdrawals from existing Serie C teams (Turris and Taranto have already folded) and possible reprieves for relegated sides.
As the season nears its end, Italy’s lower divisions are serving up a thrilling mix of euphoric promotions, captivating duels and nail-biting relegation battles, many of which will go down to the wire. Every point is crucial, and the final matchdays promise to deliver a dramatic conclusion to a season full of surprises.
Calcio England 