The 2011–12 Serie D was the sixty-fourth edition of the top level Italian non-professional football championship. It represented the fifth tier in the Italian football league system. It consisted of 168 teams divided into six 18-team divisions and three 20-team divisions.
In the summer 2011 Montecchio Maggiore was readmitted in Serie D to the judgment of the High Court of Justice, that has transformed the score of Montebelluna-Este from 2–1 to 0–3, for infringement of the rule on under. And the last team admitted was Verbano, increasing the total number of teams to 168.
On December 15, 2011 Aquanera was excluded by the National Disciplinary Committee for irregularities at registration, reducing the total number of teams to 167. All matches played by the team have been annulled.[1]
Each team played two matches against every other team in its own division; a total of 34 matches for the five groups of 18 teams, 36 matches for the group A of 19 teams and 38 matches for the groups B-D of 20 teams.
On 25 April 2012 Sterilgarda Castiglione and Pontedera became the first teams to be promoted from Serie D in the season, winning respectively the Girone B and E with two weeks remaining in the schedule.
On 29 April 2012 were promoted Venezia, Forlì, Teramo and HinterReggio winning respectively the Girone C, D, F and I with one week remaining in the schedule.
Teams placed second through fifth in each division enter a playoff tournament, after the regular season, where the nine winners will compete among themselves with the best semifinalist and the finalist of Coppa Italia Serie D to determine three of the four semi-finalists. The fourth is the winner of Coppa Italia Serie D.
The final match of playoffs, between the winners of the semifinals, was won by Cosenza, but it is not automatically promoted. It finishes first and the other finalist SandonàJesolo comes in second in this 39-team playoff. Eventually these teams may be included up to Lega Pro Seconda Divisione if one or more current teams runs into financial difficulties and so are not admitted in this league.
Relegations Playout
In the groups C-E-F-G-H-I of 18 teams the two last-placed teams (17th and 18th) with the 16th, if the 13th place is more of 8 points ahead of it and the 15th, if the 14th place is more of 8 points ahead of this, are relegated directly. Otherwise the teams ranked 13th to 16th play a two-legged playout (13th vs 16th, and 14th vs 15th).
In the group A of 19 teams the last-placed team (19th) with the 18th, if the 15th place is more of 8 points ahead of it and the 17th, if the 16th place is more of 8 points ahead of this, are relegated directly. Otherwise the teams ranked 15th to 18th play a two-legged playout (15th vs 18th, and 16th vs 17th).
In the groups B-D of 20 teams the two last-placed teams (19th and 20th) with the 18th, if the 15th place is more of 8 points ahead of it and the 17th, if the 16th place is more of 8 points ahead of this, are relegated directly. Otherwise the teams ranked 15th to 18th play a two-legged playout (15th vs 18th, and 16th vs 17th).
Tie-Breakers
If the two teams finish in an aggregate tie for to decide who is promoted and relegated, one tie breaker will be played in neutral ground, with possible extra time and penalties.
Scudetto Dilettanti
The nine division winners enter a tournament to determine the over-all Serie D champion and is awarded the Scudetto Dilettanti. The winner is Venezia.
Events
Start of season
Given a normal season where there are no team failures and special promotions, Serie D would feature 9 teams that had been relegated from Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, 36 teams that had been promoted from Eccellenza, and 122 teams that had played in Serie D the year before.
Due to ten bankruptcies and one extra promotion in Serie D, the 2011–12 season was to feature 3 teams that played in the 2010-11 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione season, including the admitted Brindisi (Girone H) that went bankrupt in that league, 42 teams that played in the 2010-11 Eccellenza season and 119 teams that played in 2010–11 Serie D, including the readmitted Montecchio Maggiore and the excluded Aquanera respectively after the judgment of the High Court of Justice and the National Disciplinary Committee.[2]
The league also admitted three of the teams that were excluded from the professional leagues. Ravenna (Girone D), Salerno, formerly Salernitana (Girone G) and Cosenza (Girone I) which all played in the 2010-11 Lega Pro Prima Divisione season. The league further admitted eleven teams from Eccellenza to fill the vacancies created. These teams are:
Villafranca which finished 14th in Serie D 2010–11 Girone B
Carpenedolo which finished 15th in Serie D 2010–11 Girone D
Sestese which finished 13th in Serie D 2010–11 Girone E
Miglianico which finished 18th in Serie D 2010–11 Girone F
Updated to match(es) played on 6 May 2012. Source: [3] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^Aquanera was excluded by the National Disciplinary Committee for irregularities at registration. All matches played by the team have been annulled.
^ abAlbese and Santhià were docked 3 points due to financial irregularities.
Updated to match(es) played on 6 May 2012. Source: [4] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^Pizzighettone moved to the city of Crema. It will play in the italian football as U.S. Pergolettese 1932.
Updated to match(es) played on 6 May 2012. Source: [5] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^ abThe score of U. Venezia-Montebelluna was transformed by sports judgment from 1–1 to 3–0 because Montebelluna has deployed the player Matteo Vigo who was disqualified.
Updated to match(es) played on 6 May 2012. Source: [6] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^Este was docked 2 points due to unlawful employment of a player.
^ abThe score of Tuttocuoio-Ravenna was transformed by sports judgment from 1–1 to 3–0 because Ravenna has deployed the player Egbedi Morgan who had not been registered.
Updated to match(es) played on 6 May 2012. Source: [7] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^ abThe score of Atl. Arezzo-Sansovino was transformed by sports judgment from 0–0 to 0–3 for infringement of the rule on under.
Updated to match(es) played on 6 May 2012. Source: [8] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^ abThe score of Isernia-Luco Canistro was transformed by sports judgment from 1–1 to 3–0 because Luco Canistro has deployed the player Saverio Pedalino who had been registered only the day of the match.
Updated to match(es) played on 6 May 2012. Source: [9] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^ abThe score of Bacoli Sibilla-Salerno, suspended on the result of 0–2 because Bacoli S. was left with only six players, was transformed by sports judgment to 0–3.
^Budoni 5th about the direct clashes with Porto Torres and so qualified for the promotion playoffs.
Updated to match(es) played on 6 May 2012. Source: [10] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^Turris gives its sports title to Real Hyria Nola and it is dissolved in summer 2012.
^Irsinese gives its sports title to Matera and it is dissolved in summer 2012.
^ abThe score of the tie-break between Viribus Unitis-Real Nocera was 1-2: the winner Real Nocera was qualified for the relegation playout and the loser Viribus was relegated to Eccellenza.
^Gaeta was docked 4 points due to financial irregularities.
Updated to match(es) played on 6 May 2012. Source: [11] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^Cosenza wins playoffs, but not being automatically promoted must remain so even in Serie D.
^ abThe score of Battipagliese-Acireale has become 3-0 by sports judgment for strict liability of Acireale for violent acts committed by their supporters.
^ abThe score of Battipagliese-Valle Grecanica has become 3-0 by sports judgment for no-show of Valle Grecanica.
^Messina was docked 3 points due to financial irregularities.
^ abThe score of Palazzolo-Nuvla San Felice has become 3-0 by sports judgment for no-show of Nuvla San Felice.
^ abThe score of Sant'Antonio Abate-Nuvla San Felice was initially transformed by sports judgment from 1–2 to 3–0 for irregularities in the transfer of 14 players of Nuvla S.Felice. The Federal Court of Justice has restored instead the result of 1-2.
^ abcCittanova, Nuvla San Felice and Valle Grecanica were docked 1 point due to not having played a game.
^Nuvla San Felice gives his sports title to Gladiator and it is dissolved in summer 2012.
^Sant'Antonio Abate was docked 2 points due to financial irregularities.
^Sant'Antonio Abate qualified for the Semifinals of the Promotion play-off as winner of Coppa Italia Serie D 2011-12.
^ abThe score of Acri-Marsala was transformed by sports judgment from 1–1 to 3–0 for the irregular position in this match of the Marsala's player Marco Pergolizzi which had refused to convene two days before of the meeting of "Rappresentativa Serie D" because influenced.
^ abThe score of Adri-Cittanova has become 3-0 by sports judgment for no-show of Cittanova.
Real Nocera qualified for the relegation playoff and Viribus Unitis relegated to Eccellenza.
Promotion playoffs
Promotion playoffs involved a total of 39 teams; four from each of the nine Serie D divisions (teams placed from 2nd through to 5th) with the best semifinalist, the finalist and the winner of Coppa Italia Serie D that are directly respectively admitted to the third, fourth round and the Semi-final.
Rules
First and second round
The first two rounds were one-legged matches played in the home field of the best-placed team.
The games ending in ties were extended to extra time. The higher classified team was declared the winner if the game was still tied after extra time. Penalty kicks were not taken.
Round one matched 2nd & 5th-placed teams and 3rd & 4th-placed teams within each division.
The two winners from each division played each other in the second round.
Third and fourth round
The nine winners – one each from the nine Serie D divisions – were qualified with Bogliasco, as the best semifinalist of Coppa Italia Serie D to the third round, that was played in one-legged match in the home field of the best-placed team.
The five winners were qualified with SandonàJesolo, as finalist of Coppa Italia Serie D to the fourth round, that was played in one-legged match in the home field of the best-placed team.
The games ending in ties were extended to the penalty kicks, without play extra time.
Played on May 20 & May 27, 2012 In case of aggregate tie score, higher classified team that plays the 2nd match in home wins, without extra time being played Team highlighted in green is saved, other is relegated to Eccellenza