2018–19 Serie B

The 2018–19 Serie B (known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons)[18] was the 87th season of Serie B in Italy since its establishment in 1929.

Serie B
Season2018–19
Dates24 August 2018 – 9 June 2019
ChampionsBrescia (4th title)
PromotedBrescia
Lecce
Hellas Verona
RelegatedPalermo (to D)
Foggia (to D)
Padova
Carpi
Matches played342
Goals scored911 (2.66 per match)
Top goalscorerAlfredo Donnarumma
(25 goals)[1]
Biggest home winLecce 7–0 Ascoli
(23 March 2019)
Biggest away winPescara 1–5 Brescia
(3 February 2019)
Highest scoringBrescia 4–4 Spezia
(27 January 2019)
Longest winning run3 games
Benevento[2]
Brescia[3]
Cittadella[4]
Cosenza[5]
Cremonese[6]
Foggia[7]
Hellas Verona[8]
Lecce[9]
Palermo[10]
Perugia[10]
Longest unbeaten run13 games
Brescia[11]
Palermo[12]
Longest winless run11 games
Crotone[13]
Longest losing run5 games
Padova[14]
Salernitana[15]
Highest attendance28,351
Palermo 2–2 Cittadella
(11 May 2019)[16]
Lowest attendance1,500
Carpi 0–1 Cittadella
(1 September 2018)[16]
Total attendance2,634,506[16][17]
Average attendance7,506[16][17]

A total of 19 teams contested in the 2018–19 season, instead of the usual 22 teams, due to the exclusion of Bari, Cesena and Avellino. There are 12 teams returning from the 2017–18 Serie B season, 4 promoted from 2017–18 Serie C (Livorno, Padova, Lecce, Cosenza) and 3 relegated from 2017–18 Serie A (Crotone, Hellas Verona, Benevento).

Teams

The list of teams for the season was originally expected to feature 15 teams from the 2017–18 Serie B, as well as three teams who were relegated from the 2017–18 Serie A (Crotone, Verona and Benevento) and four promoted from the 2017–18 Serie C: league winners Livorno, Padova and Lecce, plus national playoff winners Cosenza.

Later in July, Bari and Cesena renounced on their participation to the league due to serious financial issues, whereas Avellino was excluded due to financial irregularities. Foggia was admitted, but it had eight points deducted.

Following these event, the Serie B league assembly voted in favour of reducing the number of teams from 22 to 20;[19] this move was promptly revoked by the Italian Football Federation due to bureaucratic issues who would not allow to change the league format for the current season.[20][21]

On 7 August, Avellino was finally excluded from the Serie B after losing on their appeal verdict to be readmitted in the league.[22]

Although it was expected that the three vacancies were to be filled by Catania, Novara and Siena, however Pro Vercelli and Ternana disagreed,[23] and on 10 August, the Lega B announced the 2018–19 season would go ahead with 19 teams instead of the regular 22.[24] The Italian Football Federation formalized the change of format for the Serie B from 22 to 19 teams later on 13 August.[25]

Stadiums and locations

TeamHome cityStadiumCapacity2017–18 season
AscoliAscoli PicenoStadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca10,88718th in Serie B
BeneventoBeneventoStadio Ciro Vigorito17,55420th in Serie A
BresciaBresciaStadio Mario Rigamonti16,74316th in Serie B
CarpiCarpiStadio Sandro Cabassi5,51011th in Serie B
CittadellaCittadellaStadio Pier Cesare Tombolato7,6236th in Serie B
CosenzaCosenzaStadio San Vito-Gigi Marulla20,9875th Serie C/C, play-off winner
CremoneseCremonaStadio Giovanni Zini20,64114th in Serie B
CrotoneCrotoneStadio Ezio Scida16,54718th in Serie A
FoggiaFoggiaStadio Pino Zaccheria16,7989th in Serie B
Hellas VeronaVeronaStadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi38,40219th in Serie A
LecceLecceStadio Via del Mare40,670Serie C/C Champions
LivornoLivornoStadio Armando Picchi19,238Serie C/A Champions
PadovaPaduaStadio Euganeo19,740Serie C/B Champions
PalermoPalermoStadio Renzo Barbera36,3494th in Serie B
PerugiaPerugiaStadio Renato Curi23,1258th in Serie B
PescaraPescaraStadio Adriatico-Giovanni Cornacchia20,51517th in Serie B
SalernitanaSalernoStadio Arechi31,30012th in Serie B
SpeziaLa SpeziaStadio Alberto Picco10,29010th in Serie B
VeneziaVeniceStadio Pier Luigi Penzo7,4505th in Serie B

Number of teams by regions

No. of teamsRegionTeam(s)
4  VenetoCittadella, Hellas Verona, Padova and Venezia
2  ApuliaFoggia and Lecce
 CalabriaCosenza and Crotone
 CampaniaBenevento and Salernitana
 LombardyBrescia and Cremonese
1  AbruzzoPescara
 Emilia-RomagnaCarpi
 LiguriaSpezia
 MarcheAscoli
 SicilyPalermo
 TuscanyLivorno
 UmbriaPerugia

Personnel and kits

TeamPresidentManagerKit manufacturerShirt sponsor (front)Shirt sponsor (back)*Shirt sponsor (sleeve)*Shorts sponsor
Ascoli Giuliano Tosti Vincenzo VivariniNikeAIR fire/Fainplast, Moretti Design/BricoferUnibetFacile RistrutturareNone
Benevento Oreste Vigorito Cristian BucchiFrankie GarageIVPC, Rillo CostruzioniUnibetFacile RistrutturareSAPA Group
Brescia Massimo Cellino Eugenio CoriniAcerbisUBI BancaOfficine Meccaniche RezzatesiNoneNone
Carpi Claudio Caliumi Fabrizio CastoriGivovaGaudì JeansUnibetFacile RistrutturareNone
Cittadella Andrea Gabrielli Roberto VenturatoBoxeur Des RuesOCSA (H)/Veneta Nastri (A)/Gavinox (T), Gruppo GabrielliUnibetFacile RistrutturareMetalservice
Cosenza Eugenio Guarascio Piero BragliaLegeaEcologia Oggi/Quattropuntozero, Volkswagen Gruppo ChiappettaUnibetFacile RistrutturareLa Valle Trasporti
Cremonese Paolo Rossi Massimo RastelliGarmanIlta Inox (H)/Arinox (A)UnibetFacile RistrutturareArvedi Tubi Acciaio
Crotone Gianni Vrenna Giovanni StroppaZeusEnvì Group, Metal CarpenteriaUnibetFacile RistrutturareFord Vumbaca Group
Foggia Lucio Fares Gianluca GrassadoniaNikeWüber, VisionOtticaUnibetFacile RistrutturareMetaurobus
Hellas Verona Maurizio Setti Alfredo AgliettiMacronGruppo Sinergy, AirDolomiti (H & A)/Sartori Vini (T)UnibetFacile RistrutturareSEC Events
Lecce Saverio Sticchi Damiani Fabio LiveraniM908Moby Lines, Pasta MaffeiUnibetFacile RistrutturareVilla Iris
Livorno Aldo Spinelli Roberto BredaLegeaGruppo Spinelli, ToremarUnibetFacile RistrutturareArchipelagus Line & Energy
Padova Roberto Bonetto Matteo CenturioniKappaItaliana Assiurazioni, ZanuttaUnibetFacile RistrutturareTiemme Costruzioni
Palermo Rino Foschi Delio RossiLegeaUnieuro/Super Conveniente/OMER Group/Gagliano Gioielli/Arkus Network, BisatenUnibetFacile RistrutturareNone
Perugia Massimiliano Santopadre Alessandro NestaFrankie GarageOfficine Piccini, VitakraftUnibetFacile RistrutturareMericat
Pescara Daniele Sebastiani Giuseppe PillonErreàSarni Ristorazione, LiofilchemUnibetFacile RistrutturareVincenzo Serraiocco Consulting
Salernitana Marco Mezzaroma & Claudio Lotito Angelo GregucciGivovaSèlecoUnibetFacile RistrutturareNone
Spezia Andrea Corradino Pasquale MarinoAcerbisCarispeziaUnibetFacile RistrutturareGelateria Vernazza
Venezia Joe Tacopina Serse CosmiNikeLino SonegoUnibetFacile RistrutturareNone

* Starting from this season, the two new unique institutional sponsors for all the teams participating in the Serie B tournament (except for Brescia) are Unibet (on the back under the numbering) and Facile Ristrutturare (on the left sleeve as a patch).

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableReplaced byDate of appointment
Ascoli Serse CosmiSackedPre-seasonPre-season Vincenzo VivariniPre-season
Benevento Roberto De ZerbiEnd of contract Christian Bucchi
Brescia Ivo Pulga David Suazo
Carpi Antonio Calabro Marcello Chezzi
Crotone Walter ZengaMutual consent Giovanni Stroppa
Foggia Giovanni StroppaSigned by Crotone Gianluca Grassadonia
Livorno Andrea SottilMutual consent Cristiano Lucarelli
Palermo Roberto Stellone Bruno Tedino
Spezia Fabio GalloEnd of contract Pasquale Marino
Hellas Verona Fabio Pecchia Fabio Grosso
Venezia Filippo Inzaghi Stefano Vecchi
Brescia David SuazoSacked18 September 2018[26]15th Eugenio Corini18 September 2018[27]
Carpi Marcello ChezziMutual consent18 September 2018[28]18th Fabrizio Castori18 September 2018[29]
Palermo Bruno TedinoSacked26 September 2018[30]7th Roberto Stellone26 September 2018[30]
Venezia Stefano Vecchi11 October 2018[31]16th Walter Zenga11 October 2018[31]
Crotone Giovanni Stroppa29 October 2018[32]11th Ivan Moschella (caretaker)29 October 2018
Ivan MoschellaEnd of caretaker spell1 November 201812th Massimo Oddo1 November 2018[32]
Cremonese Andrea MandorliniSacked4 November 2018[33]12th Massimo Rastelli5 November 2018[34]
Padova Pierpaolo Bisoli6 November 2018[35]16th Claudio Foscarini6 November 2018[35]
Livorno Cristiano Lucarelli6 November 2018[36]19th Roberto Breda7 November 2018[37]
Foggia Gianluca Grassadonia11 December 2018[38]18th Gaetano Pavone (caretaker)11 December 2018[39]
Gaetano PavoneEnd of caretaker spell18 December 2018[40]17th Pasquale Padalino18 December 2018[40]
Salernitana Stefano ColantuonoResigned18 December 2018[41]10th Angelo Gregucci20 December 2018[42]
Crotone Massimo Oddo28 December 2018[43]14th Giovanni Stroppa28 December 2018[43]
Padova Claudio FoscariniSacked28 December 2018[44]19th Pierpaolo Bisoli28 December 2018[44]
Venezia Walter Zenga5 March 2019[45]16th Serse Cosmi5 March 2019[45]
Foggia Pasquale Padalino10 March 2019[46]17th Gianluca Grassadonia11 March 2019[47]
Padova Pierpaolo Bisoli18 March 2019[48]18th Matteo Centurioni18 March 2019[48]
Palermo Roberto Stellone23 April 2019[49]3rd Delio Rossi24 April 2019[50]
Hellas Verona Fabio Grosso1 May 2019[51]6th Alfredo Aglietti1 May 2019[51]

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion, qualification or relegation
1Brescia (C, P)36181356942+2767Promotion to Serie A
2Lecce (P)3619986645+2166
3Benevento36179106145+1660Qualification to promotion play-offs semi-finals
4Pescara36141395046+455
5Hellas Verona (O, P)361313104946+352Qualification to promotion play-offs preliminary round
6Spezia36149135346+751[a]
7Cittadella36121594938+1151[a]
8Perugia36148144949050
9Cremonese361213113733+449
10Cosenza361113123442−846
11Palermo[b] (R, E, R)36161555738+1943[c]Demotion to Serie D
12Crotone361110154042−243[c]
13Ascoli361013134056−1643[c]
14Livorno36912153851−1339
15Venezia[d]36814143546−1138[e]Qualification to relegation play-out
16Salernitana36108184157−1638[e]
17Foggia[f] (R, E, D)361013134449−537Demotion to Serie D
18Padova (R)36516153649−1331Relegation to Serie C
19Carpi (R)3678213967−2829
Source: Lega Serie B
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Draw.[52]
(C) Champions; (D) Disqualified; (E) Eliminated; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

Positions by round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards.

Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
Brescia6151514810910688685423222211111111111111111
Lecce481496636857532232454334464644222222222
Benevento312953384366856777666653342466664444443
Pescara123742211111224346533445535355556555554
Hellas Verona914211122233779665345567656533445666695
Spezia166138118479911129129910977976777898989777766
Cittadella1112557857544355478878810810979897888977
Perugia112812141311131313109108888891089989878777899910108
Cremonese89564469101112101211111313131212111111111313131313131111121210889
Cosenza713161617171814141515161514141414141414141414121111111111111312111112111110
Palermo13106379534221111111111222232223333333311
Crotone185379111211111214141415151516171819161617171817171616141414141414131312
Ascoli51610131212131212109111110121011111011131313141212121212121010101011121213
Livorno1517171718181919191819191919191918161617181816161516151414151517171616151514
Venezia27121516151616161413131313131112121313121212131414161515161616151515161715
Salernitana141141010710574436710129101191010109109101010101213131313141416
Foggia1919191919191718171717171818181717181716151515151615141717171715161717171617
Padova104111113141415151616151616161819191918191919181919191818181819191919191818
Carpi1718181815161517181918181717171615151515171718191718181919191918181818181919
Champions, promotion to Serie A
Promotion to Serie A
Play-off semifinals
Play-off preliminary round
Play-out
Relegation to Serie C
Source: Serie BKT

Results

Home \ AwayASCBENBRECARCITCOSCRECROFOGVERLECLIVPADPALPERPESSALSPEVEN
Ascoli2–21–11–01–11–10–03–22–21–01–01–12–31–20–32–12–43–11–0
Benevento1–21–13–11–04–22–13–01–30–13–31–03–31–22–12–14–02–33–0
Brescia1–02–33–10–11–03–22–02–14–22–12–04–12–11–11–13–04–42–0
Carpi1–12–21–10–11–11–21–20–21–10–11–42–10–30–10–03–23–22–3
Cittadella2–20–12–23–12–01–33–01–13–04–14–01–10–12–24–13–10–13–2
Cosenza0–00–02–31–02–02–01–02–00–3[53]2–31–12–11–11–11–10–01–01–1
Cremonese0–11–00–01–20–02–01–01–01–12–01–00–02–04–01–10–02–00–1
Crotone3–01–02–21–10–00–10–04–11–22–21–12–13–02–00–21–10–31–1
Foggia3–21–12–24–21–11–03–10–22–22–22–22–11–21–01–13–11–01–1
Hellas Verona1–10–32–24–14–02–21–11–12–10–22–31–11–12–13–11–02–11–0
Lecce7–01–11–04–11–13–12–01–01–02–13–23–21–20–02–02–22–12–1
Livorno1–02–10–11–00–02–01–30–13–10–00–31–12–22–30–01–01–31–0
Padova1–20–11–10–10–00–01–10–01–13–02–11–11–30–12–20–00–01–0
Palermo3–00–01–14–12–22–12–21–00–01–02–11–11–14–13–01–22–21–1
Perugia2–02–40–20–10–00–13–12–13–01–21–23–13–21–22–13–11–11–0
Pescara1–12–11–52–00–11–10–02–11–01–14–22–12–03–21–12–02–01–0
Salernitana1–10–11–32–54–21–22–00–21–01–01–23–13–00–02–12–41–01–1
Spezia3–23–13–22–11–04–02–02–00–01–21–13–00–21–11–11–32–11–1
Venezia1–02–32–11–11–10–11–11–41–01–11–11–12–11–12–32–21–01–0
Source: Serie BKT
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Promotion play-offs

Six teams could contest the promotion play-offs depending on the point differential between the third and fourth-placed teams. It began with a preliminary one-legged round played at the home venue of the higher placed team, involving the teams placed fifth to eight. The two winning teams advanced to play the third and fourth-placed teams in the two-legged semi-finals. Those winning teams advanced to the two-legged final, where the winner was promoted to play in Serie A the following season. In the two-legged rounds, the higher seeded team played the second game at home.

Preliminary roundSemi-finalsFinals
7Cittadella134
6Spezia13Benevento202
7Cittadella27Cittadella202
5Hellas Verona033
5Hellas Verona011
5Hellas Verona 44Pescara000
8Perugia1

Preliminary round

17 May 2019 Spezia1–2 Cittadella La Spezia
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)
  • Maggiore 52'
Report
Stadium: Stadio Alberto Picco
Attendance: 7,442[16]
Referee: Francesco Fourneau
18 May 2019 Hellas Verona 4–1 (a.e.t.)PerugiaVerona
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)
Report
Stadium: Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi
Attendance: 10,234[16]
Referee: Ivano Pezzuto

Semi-finals

First leg

21 May 2019 Cittadella 1–2 Benevento Cittadella
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)Proia 10'Report
Stadium: Stadio Pier Cesare Tombolato
Attendance: 6,250[16]
Referee: Davide Ghersini
22 May 2019 Hellas Verona 0–0 Pescara Verona
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)ReportStadium: Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi
Attendance: 11,308[16]
Referee: Livio Marinelli

Second leg

25 May 2019 Benevento0–3
(2–4 agg.)
Cittadella Benevento
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)Report
Stadium: Stadio Ciro Vigorito
Attendance: 10,669[16]
Referee: Juan Luca Sacchi
26 May 2019 Pescara0–1
(0–1 agg.)
Hellas Verona Pescara
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)ReportStadium: Stadio Adriatico
Attendance: 11,165[16]
Referee: Eugenio Abbattista

Finals

First leg

30 May 2019 Cittadella 2–0 Hellas Verona Cittadella
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)
ReportStadium: Stadio Pier Cesare Tombolato
Attendance: 7,623[16]
Referee: Antonio Giua

Second leg

2 June 2019 Hellas Verona 3–0
(3–2 agg.)
CittadellaVerona
21:15 CEST (UTC+2)ReportStadium: Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi
Attendance: 25,248[16]
Referee: Marco Piccinini

Relegation play-out

The relegation play-out was originally scheduled to be played between the 15th and the 16th placed teams in the table — Venezia and Salernitana. However, following the relegation of Palermo to the bottom of the table due to administrative offense (financial irregularities),[54] the Lega B announced no relegation play-off would be held, thus effectively relegating Foggia directly.[55]

However, on 23 May 2019, the Regional Administrative Tribunal (TAR) of Lazio declared void the procedure followed by the Lega B, provisionally reintroducing the play-out, this time between Salernitana (15th) and Foggia (16th), in accordance with the new standings after Palermo were subsequently placed at the bottom of the league table due to financial irregularities.[56] The decision was upheld by the Guarantee College of Sports (Collegio di garanzia dello sport) on 27 May.

Finally, on 29 May, the Court of Appeal of the Italian Football Federation (Corte d'Appello della FIGC) annulled the relegation of Palermo, who were sanctioned with 20 points of penalization instead, and hence changed the composition of the matches, causing the immediate relegation of Foggia, and the re-admission to the play-out of Venezia. Nevertheless, the players of both teams threatened to boycott the challenge, regarding it as late in the calendar (25 days after the last match), problematic for holidays and recesses of players, and conflicting with the FIFA International Calendar and a resolution of Lega B, according to which Serie B matches could not be held during the national team period (3–11 June).[57]

Matches

The higher-placed team played at home for the second leg. If tied on aggregate, extra time and a penalty shoot-out would be played because both teams ended up with the same number of points in the table. The losers would be relegated to Serie C for the following season.

Team 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Salernitana2–2
(4–2 p)
Venezia2–10–1 (a.e.t.)

First leg

5 June 2019 Salernitana 2–1 Venezia Salerno
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)Report
Stadium: Stadio Arechi
Attendance: 12,722[16]
Referee: Aleandro Di Paolo

Second leg

On 12 July, the FIGC retired the professional license of Palermo. According to the new regulations enacted by the FIGC in January 2019, the relegation play-out was consequently considered null and void, and both Venezia and Salernitana were allowed to remain in Serie B.

Season statistics

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerClubGoals[1]
1 Alfredo DonnarummaBrescia25
2 Massimo Coda1Benevento22
3 Leonardo MancusoPescara19
4 Andrea La MantiaLecce17
5 Gabriele Moncini3Cittadella15
6 Ilija NestorovskiPalermo14
SimyCrotone
8 Marco MancosuLecce13
9 Giampaolo Pazzini2Hellas Verona12
Ernesto TorregrossaBrescia
Valerio VerrePerugia
Note

1Player scored 1 goal in the play-offs.
2Player scored 2 goals in the play-offs.
3Player scored 3 goals in the play-offs.

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean
sheets
Weeks
1 Alberto Paleari2Cittadella141-3, 9, 11, 13, 15, 20, 27, 32, 36-37
2 Pietro PerinaCosenza1213, 16-18, 20, 22, 24-26, 32-34
3 Alex CordazCrotone103, 20-21, 26-28, 31, 33, 36, 38
Vincenzo Fiorillo1Pescara4, 18, 20-21, 24-25, 27, 34, 38
Mauro VigoritoLecce5, 7, 10, 13-15, 28, 22,[a] 30, 35
6 Alessandro MicaiSalernitana91, 3, 6-7, 12, 17-18, 22, 26
Nicola RavagliaCremonese5, 12, 14–15, 19–21, 23, 33
8 GabrielPerugia82, 7, 15, 18, 21, 24, 29, 36
Eugenio LamannaSpezia9, 13, 15, 18, 22-23, 26, 37
Lorenzo MontipòBenevento14, 16-18, 22-24, 34
Marco Silvestri3Hellas Verona15, 17-18, 25, 27
Note

1Player had 1 clean sheet in the play-offs.
2Player had 2 clean sheets in the play-offs.
3Player had 3 clean sheets in the play-offs.

Attendance data of regular season

PosTeamTotalHighLowAverageChange
1Lecce218,07925,1358,19812,116+20.6%C
2Benevento192,03913,6229,50510,669−12.1%A
3Verona190,33614,5178,25810,574−39.0%A
4Foggia183,91312,5378,83610,217−7.6%
5Palermo169,08428,3514,5139,394+4.0%
6Salernitana153,23712,9795,7058,513−2.4%
7Brescia148,15414,0005,5028,231+19.9%
8Perugia141,5169,5016,8837,862−9.3%
9Padova135,7829,3386,4057,543+43.2%C
10Cremonese130,21811,8405,4167,234+0.4%
11Cosenza128,86812,3754,7947,580+243.6%C
12Pescara126,4869,9395,5167,027−7.2%
13Crotone115,61010,5654,8796,423−39.3%A
14Ascoli109,1088,4164,7896,062+12.9%
15Livorno105,8316,5944,9865,880+0.9%C
16Spezia97,8566,5084,8455,436−3.6%
17Cittadella75,9746,6052,8924,221+19.3%
18Venezia64,4855,6302,1813,583−14.7%
19Carpi40,8553,8121,5002,270+4.1%
League total2,527,43128,3511,5007,412+7.0%

Source: Stadia Postcards [1][2][3][4][5][6]
Notes:
A Team played last season in Serie A.
C Team played last season in Serie C.

References

External links