Football league season
The 2018–19 Serie C was the fifth season of the unified Serie C division, the third tier of the Italian football league system .
Teams
The league originally featured 60 teams. However, it saw the bankruptcy and subsequent withdrawal of Andria , Mestre , Reggiana [ 13] and Vicenza .
To fill the vacancies in Serie B, Novara , Catania and Siena became the repechage candidates from Serie C, to the objection of Pro Vercelli and Ternana .[ 14] However, on 10 August Lega B announced that a 19-team calendar would be commissioned for the 2018–19 and no repechage would take place.[ 15]
The first team of Bassano Virtus was relocated to Vicenza as L.R. Vicenza Virtus . While its owner, had also acquired some assets from the liquidators of Vicenza.[ 16]
On 3 August 2018, it was officially announced by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) that Juventus Under 23 would take part in Serie C, making it the first "B Team" in Italy to do so since 1934 . Also, Cavese and Imolese were admitted from Serie D to fill the vacancies created.[ 17] [ 18]
Due to several issues regarding vacancies and trials at both Serie B and Serie C level, the Serie C league committee delayed the season kickoff day to September, also hinting at the possibility of an indefinite delay because of the unclear situation.[ 19] The season eventually kicked off on Saturday 15 September, but saw all games of Novara, Pro Vercelli, Ternana, Siena and Catania delayed indefinitely due to their judicial requests to be admitted to Serie B, as well as Viterbese, after the club threatened not to participate in Serie C due to their opposition to being admitted to the Southern group. Virtus Entella's second game was also delayed after the club was accepted on appeal for being readmitted to Serie B by the Regional Administrative Court of Lazio (Italian : Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale del Lazio , TAR Lazio).[ 20]
On 14 February 2019, Matera were excluded from Serie C for missing four consecutive matches[ 21] which was followed by the exclusion of Pro Piacenza on 18 February 2019 after missing several games and presenting a makeshift team composed of teenagers and a physiotherapist in their final game, where they were beaten 20-0 by Cuneo.[ 22]
On 30 January 2019, it was announced that five teams rather than the usual four would be promoted to Serie B for the 2019-20 season, after FIGC decided to incorporate an extra club in Serie B to bring the league up to 20 teams.[ 23] The decision also meant that only seven clubs would be relegated to Serie D rather than the original eight.[ 23]
Due to the exclusions of Pro Piacenza and Matera from the league, the football league committee, in accordance with the Italian Football Federation, agreed on 2 April 2019 to a change in the relegation rules, by decreasing the number of relegations to five as follows:[ 24]
Group A, which originally featured 20 teams, later reduced to 19 following the exclusion of Pro Piacenza, will have no direct relegation unless there are eight or more points between the last and second-last placed team at the conclusion of the regular season. In the case of less than eight points between the two bottom teams, a two-legged relegation playoff will be played.
Group B (20 teams), as the only one that was not affected by league exclusion, will have a direct relegation for the bottom placed team in the regular season, plus a two-legged relegation playoff between the 18th and 19th placed team.
Group C (19 teams, later reduced to 18 teams due to Matera's exclusion) will feature the same relegation system as in Group A.
The two relegation playoff winners from Group A and Group C (or the respective second-last placed teams in the regular season, in case of no relegation playoff being held) will subsequently take part in another relegation playoff to determine the fifth team relegated to Serie D in 2019–20.
Relegated from Serie B
Repechage
Stadia and locations
Group A (North & Central West)
7 teams from Tuscany , 6 teams from Piedmont , 2 teams from Emilia-Romagna , 2 teams from Sardinia , 2 teams from Liguria and 1 team from Lombardy .
Location of teams in Serie C (Group A) 2018–19
Location of teams in 2018–19 Serie C (Group A) (Tuscany)
Club
City
Stadium
Capacity
Albissola
Albissola Marina Albisola Superiore
Comunale (Chiavari )
5,535
Alessandria
Alessandria
Giuseppe Moccagatta
5,827
Arezzo
Arezzo
Città di Arezzo
13,128
Arzachena
Arzachena
Biagio Pirina
3,100
Carrarese
Carrara
Dei Marmi
9,500
Cuneo
Cuneo
Fratelli Paschiero
4,000
Gozzano
Gozzano
Alfredo d'Albertas / Silvio Piola (Vercelli)
400 / 5,500
Juventus U23
Torino
Giuseppe Moccagatta (Alessandria )
5,827
Lucchese
Lucca
Porta Elisa
7,386
Novara
Novara
Silvio Piola (Novara)
17,875
Olbia
Olbia
Bruno Nespoli
3,200
Piacenza
Piacenza
Leonardo Garilli
21,668
Pisa
Pisa
Arena Garibaldi – Romeo Anconetani
25,000
Pistoiese
Pistoia
Marcello Melani
13,195
Pontedera
Pontedera
Ettore Mannucci
5,000
Pro Patria
Busto Arsizio
Carlo Speroni
4,627
Pro Piacenza
Piacenza
Leonardo Garilli
21,668
Pro Vercelli
Vercelli
Silvio Piola (Vercelli)
5,500
Siena
Siena
Montepaschi Arena
15,373
Virtus Entella
Chiavari
Comunale
5,535
Group B (North & Central East)
5 teams from Lombardy , 4 teams from Marche , 3 teams from Emilia-Romagna , 2 teams from Friuli-Venezia Giulia , 2 teams from Umbria , 2 teams from Veneto , 1 team from Abruzzo and 1 team from Trentino-Alto Adige .
Location of teams in Serie C (Group B) 2018–19
Location of teams in 2018–19 Serie C (Group B) (Lombardy)
Location of teams in 2018–19 Serie C (Group B) (Marche)
Club
City
Stadium
Capacity
AlbinoLeffe
Albino and Leffe
Atleti Azzurri d'Italia (Bergamo )
21,300
Fano
Fano
Raffaele Mancini
8,800
FeralpiSalò
Salò
Lino Turina
2,500
Fermana
Fermo
Bruno Recchioni
9,500
Giana Erminio
Gorgonzola
Città di Gorgonzola
3,766
Gubbio
Gubbio
Pietro Barbetti
5,300
Imolese
Imola
Romeo Galli
4,000
L.R. Vicenza
Vicenza
Romeo Menti
12,000
Monza
Monza
Brianteo
18,568
Pordenone
Pordenone
Ottavio Bottecchia
3,000
Ravenna
Ravenna
Bruno Benelli
12,020
Renate
Renate
Città di Meda (Meda )
3,000
Rimini
Rimini
Romeo Neri
7,442
Sambenedettese
San Benedetto del Tronto
Riviera delle Palme
14,995
Südtirol
Bolzano /Bozen
Druso
3,500
Teramo
Teramo
Gaetano Bonolis
7,498
Ternana
Terni
Libero Liberati
17,460
Triestina
Trieste
Nereo Rocco
32,454
Virtus Verona
Verona
Gavagnin Nocini
1,200
Vis Pesaro
Pesaro
Tonino Benelli
4,898
Group C (South)
4 teams from Calabria , 4 teams from Campania , 4 teams from Sicily , 3 teams from Apulia , 2 teams from Basilicata , 2 teams from Lazio .
Location of teams in Serie C (Group C) 2018–19
Location of teams in 2018–19 Serie C (Group C) (Campania)
Club
City
Stadium
Capacity
Bisceglie
Bisceglie
Gustavo Ventura
5,000
Casertana
Caserta
Alberto Pinto
12,000
Catania
Catania
Angelo Massimino
20,266
Catanzaro
Catanzaro
Nicola Ceravolo
14,650
Cavese
Cava de' Tirreni
Simonetta Lamberti
5,200
Juve Stabia
Castellammare di Stabia
Romeo Menti
7,642
Matera
Matera
Stadio XXI Settembre-Franco Salerno
8,500
Monopoli
Monopoli
Vito Simone Veneziani
6,880
Paganese
Pagani
Marcello Torre
5,900
Potenza
Potenza
Alfredo Viviani
6,000
Reggina
Reggio Calabria
Oreste Granillo
27,454
Rende
Rende
Marco Lorenzon
5,000
Rieti
Rieti
Manlio Scopigno
10,163
Sicula Leonzio
Lentini
Angelino Nobile
2,500
Siracusa
Siracusa
Nicola De Simone
6,870
Trapani
Trapani
Polisportivo Provinciale (Erice )
7,000
Vibonese
Vibo Valentia
Luigi Razza
6,500
Virtus Francavilla
Francavilla Fontana
Giovanni Paolo II
5,000
Viterbese Castrense
Viterbo
Enrico Rocchi
5,460
League tables
Group A (North & Central West)
Source:
Lega Pro Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Draw.
[ 26] (D) Disqualified;
(O) Play-off winners;
(P) Promoted;
(R) Relegated
Notes:
^ a b Arezzo is ahead of Pro Vercelli on head-to-head goal difference: Arezzo–Pro Vercelli 3–1, Pro Vercelli–Arezzo 1–0
^ a b Alessandria is ahead of Pontedera on head-to-head points: Alessandria–Pontedera 1–1, Pontedera–Alessandria 1–2
^ 1 point deduction due to financial irregularities.
^ 23 point deduction due to financial irregularities.
^ 25 point deduction due to financial irregularities.
^ 16 point deduction due to financial irregularities initially, then expulsion from the championship.
Group B (North & Central East)
Source:
Lega Pro Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Draw.
[ 27] (C) Champions;
(O) Play-off winners;
(P) Promoted
Notes:
^ Triestina were deducted 1 point for financial irregularities.
^ a b Imolese is ahead of Feralpisalò on head-to-head points: Imolese–Feralpisalò 3–1, Feralpisalò–Imolese 0–1
^ a b Südtirol is ahead of Ravenna on head-to-head points: Südtirol–Ravenna 1–1, Ravenna–Südtirol 0–1
^ a b Ternana is ahead of Gubbio on head-to-head points: Ternana–Gubbio 3–0, Gubbio–Ternana 1–1
^ a b Teramo is ahead of Albinoleffe on head-to-head points: Teramo–Albinoleffe 2–2, Albinoleffe–Teramo 1–2
^ a b Vis Pesaro is ahead of Giana Erminio on overall goal difference
^ a b Renate is ahead of Rimini on head-to-head points: Renate–Rimini 1–0, Rimini–Renate 0–0
^ a b Virtus Verona is ahead of Fano on head-to-head points: Virtus Verona–Fano 1–0, Fano–Virtus Verona 1–1
Group C (South)
Source:
Lega Pro Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Draw.
[ 28] (D) Disqualified;
(O) Play-off winners;
(P) Promoted;
(R) Relegated
Notes:
^ 1 point deduction due to financial irregularities.
^ 1 point deduction due to financial irregularities.
^ 4 point deduction due to financial irregularities.
^ 2 point deduction due to financial irregularities.
^ a b Monopoli is ahead of Casertana on overall goal difference
^ 1 point deduction due to financial irregularities.
^ a b Rende is ahead of Cavese on overall goal difference
^ Viterbese Castrense qualified as winners of the 2018–19 Coppa Italia Serie C .
^ a b Sicula Leonzio is ahead of Vibonese on head-to-head goal difference: Sicula Leonzio–Vibonese 2–0, Vibonese–Sicula Leonzio 1–0
^ 4 point deduction due to financial irregularities.
^ 6 point deduction due to financial irregularities. Club dissolved at the end of season. A phoenix club was admitted to Promozione Sicily
^ 3 point deduction due to financial irregularities.
^ 34 point deduction due to financial irregularities initially, then expulsion from the championship.
First Round
If tied, higher-placed team advances.
Second Round
If tied, higher-placed team advances.
Quarter-finals
If tied on aggregate, higher-placed team advances.
Semi-finals
If tied on aggregate, higher-placed team advances.
Finals
If tied on aggregate, the winner is decided by extra-time and penalty shootout.
Relegation play-outs
First Round
Higher-placed team plays at home for second leg. If tied on aggregate, lower-placed team is relegated.
Final
If tied on aggregate, extra time and eventually penalty shoot-out are played. Losers are relegated.
Top goalscorers
Note
1 Player scored 1 goal in the play-offs.
3 Player scored 3 goals in the play-offs.
4 Player scored 4 goals in the play-offs.
References
^ "Serie C - Girone A - Players" . Soccerway .
^ "Serie C - Girone B - Players" . Soccerway .
^ "Serie C - Girone C - Players" . Soccerway .
^ Matchdays 22-28.
^ Matchdays 1-30.
^ Matchdays 1-19.
^ Matchdays 21-36, including matchday 20 played between weeks 27 and 28 and matchday 9 played between weeks 29 and 30.
^ Matchdays 18-25. 10 games (matchdays 15-25) without counting the cancelled match against Pro Piacenza on week 17 (Arzachena 3–0 Pro Piacenza).
^ a b c "Attendance Statistics of Serie C Group A 2018-2019" . StadiaPostcards .
^ a b c "Attendance Statistics of Serie C Group C 2018-2019" . StadiaPostcards .
^ a b "Attendance Statistics of Serie C Group B 2018-2019" . StadiaPostcards .
^ a b Regular season + play-offs and play-outs.
^ "Calcio: Triestina ammessa in C dopo ricorso" (in Italian). Rome. ANSA. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018 .
^ "Novara e Catania con un piede in B, il Siena spera ancora" . La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Milan: RCS MediaGroup. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018 .
^ "Serie BKT 2018/19, i calendari lunedì a Milano" (Press release) (in Italian). Lega B. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018 .
^ "Serie C, Vicenza: arriva 'Mister Diesel': Rosso acquista la società" . La Repubblica . 18 June 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018 .
^ "UFFICIALE: Juve B iscritta alla Serie C con Cavese e Imolese, respinte Como e Prato" . calciomercato.com . 8 March 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-03 .
^ "Serie C: non ammessi Prato e Como, ammesse Cavese e Imolese e seconda squadra Juventus" (Press release) (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 3 August 2018. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018 .
^ "La Serie C slitta a settembre. Il Consiglio: "Vediamo se iniziare o no" " (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018 .
^ "Virtus Entella, rinviata la sentenza del Tar" . La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Milan: RCS MediaGroup. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018 .
^ "Ufficiale, Matera escluso dal campionato di Serie C" (in Italian). Calcio Finanza. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019 .
^ "OFFICIAL: Pro Piacenza out of Serie C" . Football Italia. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019 .
^ a b "FIGC: 20-team Serie B, new racism rules" . Football Italia. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019 .
^ "Serie C, riduzione delle retrocessioni in D: da 9 a 5" (in Italian). Corriere dello Sport - Stadio. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019 .
^ "OFFICIAL: Pro Piacenza out of Serie C" . Football Italia. 18 February 2019.
^ "Norme organizzative interne della F.I.G.C. - Art. 51.6" (PDF) (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2016 .
^ "Norme organizzative interne della F.I.G.C. - Art. 51.6" (PDF) (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2016 .
^ "Norme organizzative interne della F.I.G.C. - Art. 51.6" (PDF) (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2016 .
^ Ravenna advances due to higher placed finish.
^ Potenza advances due to higher placed finish.
^ Reggina advances due to higher placed finish.
^ Arezzo advances due to higher placed finish.
^ FeralpiSalò advances due to higher placed finish.
^ Monza advances due to higher placed finish.
^ Catania advances due to higher placed finish.
^ Imolese advances due to higher placed finish.
^ Trapani advances due to higher placed finish.
^ Bisceglie advances due to higher placed finish.
External links
Domestic leagues
Domestic cups International club competitions