2008–09 Serie B

Serie B TIM
Season 2008–09
Champions Bari (2nd title)
Promoted Bari
Parma
Livorno (by Play-off)
Relegated Treviso (bankruptcy)
Avellino (bankruptcy)
Pisa (bankruptcy)
Rimini (by Play-out)
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1,103 (2.39 per match)
Top goalscorer Francesco Tavano (24 goals)
2009–10 →

The 2008–09 Serie B season was the seventy-seventh since its establishment. A total of 22 teams will contest the league, 15 of which will be returning from the 2007–08 season, four of which will have been promoted from Serie C1 (now Lega Pro Prima Divisione), and three relegated from Serie A.

Teams

Geographical distribution of Serie B teams for season 2008–09

Noted teams featured in the league include Parma F.C., who last played Serie B in 1989–90 when under coach Nevio Scala they won their first promotion to the top flight.

U.S. Sassuolo Calcio, promoted to Serie B as Serie C1/A champions, are competing at the highest level in the club's history. A vacancy created by the withdrawal of Sicilian squad F.C. Messina Peloro was filled by the federation by including U.S. Avellino, who were the best team slated to be relegated in 2007–08.

Stadiums and locations

Club City Stadium Capacity 2007–08 season
AlbinoLeffe Albino and Leffe
(playing in Bergamo) 		Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia 26,393 4th in Serie B
Ancona Ancona Stadio del Conero 26,000 Serie C1/B Play-off Winners
Ascoli Ascoli Piceno Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca 20,000 8th in Serie B
Avellino Avellino Stadio Partenio 26,308 19th in Serie B
Bari Bari Stadio San Nicola 58,248 11th in Serie B
Brescia Brescia Stadio Mario Rigamonti 27,547 5th in Serie B
Cittadella Cittadella Stadio Pier Cesare Tombolato 7,623 Serie C1/A Play-off Winners
Empoli Empoli Stadio Carlo Castellani 19,795 18th in Serie A
Frosinone Frosinone Stadio Matusa 9,680 10th in Serie B
Grosseto Grosseto Stadio Olimpico Carlo Zecchini 8,350 13th in Serie B
Livorno Livorno Stadio Armando Picchi 19,238 20th in Serie A
Mantova Mantova Stadio Danilo Martelli 14,844 9th in Serie B
Modena Modena Stadio Alberto Braglia 20,507 16th in Serie B
Parma Parma Stadio Ennio Tardini 27,906 19th in Serie A
Piacenza Piacenza Stadio Leonardo Garilli 21,668 15th in Serie B
Pisa Pisa Arena Garibaldi - Stadio Romeo Anconetani 17,000 6th in Serie B
Rimini Rimini Stadio Romeo Neri 9,768 7th in Serie B
Salernitana Salerno Stadio Arechi 37,245 Serie C1/B Champions
Sassuolo Sassuolo
(playing in Modena) 		Stadio Alberto Braglia 20,507 Serie C1/A Champions
Treviso Treviso Stadio Omobono Tenni 9,996 18th in Serie B
Triestina Trieste Stadio Nereo Rocco 32,454 12th in Serie B
Vicenza Vicenza Stadio Romeo Menti 17,163 17th in Serie B

Personnel and kits

Team President Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
AlbinoLeffe Gianfranco Andreoletti Armando Madonna Acerbis UBI Banca Popolare di Bergamo (H)/UBI Assicurazioni (A), Studio Casa Agenzie Immobiliari
Ancona Giorgio Perrotti Sandro Salvioni Legea Kerself/Elitaria/University.it/Twice/H6
Ascoli Roberto Benigni Franco Colomba Legea Carisap, Fainplast
Avellino Massimo Pugliese Salvatore Campilongo Legea Sidigas
Bari Vincenzo Matarrese Antonio Conte Erreà Gaudianello, Radionorba
Brescia Gino Corioni Alberto Cavasin Asics UBI Banco di Brescia, Bregoli SpA
Cittadella Andrea Gabrielli Claudio Foscarini Garman Siderurgica Gabrielli
Empoli Fabrizio Corsi Silvio Baldini Asics Limonta Sport, Computer Gross
Frosinone Maurizio Stirpe Piero Braglia Legea Banca Popolare del Frusinate, Provincia di Frosinone
Grosseto Piero Camilli Elio Gustinetti Erreà Industria Lavorazione Carni Ovine, Banca della Maremma
Livorno Aldo Spinelli Leonardo Acori Legea Banca Carige, Pediatrica
Mantova Fabrizio Lori Mario Somma Diadora Nuova Pansac
Modena Alfredo Amadei Luigi Apolloni Erreà Immergas, Kerakoll
Parma Tommaso Ghirardi Francesco Guidolin Erreà Banca Monte Parma, Metella Trasporti & Logistica
Piacenza Fabrizio Garilli Stefano Pioli Macron UNICEF
Pisa Luca Pomponi Bruno Giordano Joma Limonta Sport/Abitalia, Abitalia/Nettaro
Rimini Luca Benedettini Guido Carboni Macron Banca di Rimini/B&H Hotels, Sayerlack
Salernitana Antonio Lombardi Fabio Brini Umbro Interauto Citroën/VIT Cartiera Confalone, Santagata
Sassuolo Carlo Rossi Andrea Mandorlini Sportika Mapei
Treviso Ettore Setten Luca Gotti Lotto Grigolin/Banca Treviso
Triestina Stefano Fantinel Rolando Maran Mass Bossini, Fantinel
Vicenza Sergio Cassingena Angelo Gregucci Diadora Fieri di Vicenza/La Felinese/Choice/Caffè Vero/Diadora/PerFormare/Burro De Paoli/Estel/Luxin Italia/Pulitalia/Vicenzaoro First/BRPneumatici/Vicenzaoro Charm/Helyos

Events

Following the end of the 2007–08 season, rumours spread out regarding Messina's financial struggles which might lead the team to insolvency and following exclusion from the Serie B teamlist. This was implicitly confirmed by the fact that Messina has not organized a pre-season camp as of 10 July, and the team being still without a coach. On 14 July 2008 the club board announced their intention to resign from the Serie B due to financial difficulties, also stating their intention to start again from amateur league Serie D.

On 25 July 2008 the Italian Football Federation confirmed that Avellino had been readmitted to Serie B to replace Messina.

On 31 July 2008 Treviso was penalized 3 points; however it ultimately changed to €15,000 fine by Camera di Conciliazione e Arbitrato per lo Sport of CONI.

Brescia and Parma were the first clubs to sack their managers. The rondinelle sacked Serse Cosmi, with past UEFA Champions League experience at Udinese, replacing him with well-experienced 67-year-old boss Nedo Sonetti, whereas Parma opted to dismiss Luigi Cagni from the coaching post and appoint former Palermo boss Francesco Guidolin. Brescia completed its replacement prior to the two club's meeting in Brescia in Week 6, Parma the day after. Several other coaching dismissals soon followed, regarding Avellino (former Foggia boss Salvatore Campilongo replacing Giuseppe Incocciati), Ascoli (former Juventus youth team coach Vincenzo Chiarenza taking over from Nello Di Costanzo) and Mantova (with former AC Milan assistant Alessandro Costacurta replacing Giuseppe Brucato). Chiarenza and Salernitana gaffer Fabrizio Castori went in December, but Castori was soon reinstated after Bortolo Mutti's inconsistency. The shortest reign was former Argentina striker Abel Balbo, who resigned after only 4 weeks in the job. Castori was sacked again after a 2–2 draw with Treviso, and Grosseto, Modena, Pisa and Mantova also lost their coaches.

On 8 May 2009 Livorno 0–1 home loss to Triestina ensured Bari to be mathematically promoted to Serie A in advance of four weeks. The galletti, coached by former Juventus player Antonio Conte, will therefore make their return to the top flight after eight years in the Italian second division. On 11 May, Treviso was mathematically relegated to Lega Pro Prima Divisione following a 0–1 home loss to Veneto rivals Vicenza after being in the Serie A as late as the 2005–06 season.

On 16 May, Parma joined Bari by ensuring automatic promotion to Serie A in Week 40, following a 2–2 tie with Cittadella that left a gap of seven points between Francesco Guidolin's team and closest rivals Livorno with only two games remaining.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Bari (C, P) 42 22 14 6 65 35 +30 80 Promotion to Serie A
2 Parma (P) 42 19 19 4 65 34 +31 76
3 Livorno (O, P) 42 16 20 6 64 40 +24 68 Qualification to promotion play-offs
4 Brescia 42 18 13 11 54 40 +14 67
5 Empoli 42 18 13 11 53 44 +9 67
6 Grosseto 42 18 10 14 64 66 −2 64
7 Sassuolo 42 15 15 12 57 50 +7 60
8 Triestina 42 16 11 15 52 47 +5 59
9 AlbinoLeffe 42 15 13 14 49 49 0 58
10 Piacenza 42 14 13 15 48 48 0 55
11 Frosinone 42 13 14 15 48 53 −5 53
12 Vicenza 42 13 13 16 44 41 +3 52
13 Mantova 42 12 16 14 41 46 −5 52
14 Salernitana 42 14 9 19 46 56 −10 51
15 Modena 42 13 12 17 54 63 −9 51
16 Ascoli 42 14 10 18 37 48 −11 51
17 Cittadella 42 11 17 14 42 43 −1 50
18 Rimini (R) 42 13 11 18 43 56 −13 50 Qualification to relegation play-offs
19 Ancona 42 14 7 21 54 66 −12 49
20 Pisa (R, D, E, R) 42 12 12 18 45 55 −10 48 Revival in Serie D
21 Avellino (D, E) 42 9 15 18 41 61 −20 40
22 Treviso (R, E, R, R, D) 42 7 15 20 37 62 −25 35 Revival in Eccellenza
Source: http://www.corrieredellosport.it/live/SerieB/classifica.shtml
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (D) Disqualified; (E) Eliminated; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. BRE 2–0 EMP; EMP 2–2 BRE
  2. VIC 1–0 MAN; MAN 0–0 VIC
  3. SAL: 9 pts 7–4; MOD: 6 pts 7–5; ASC: 3 pts 3–8
  4. 1 point deducted due to unpaid wages and other financial irregularities
  5. CIT 2–0 RIM; RIM 1–0 CIT
  6. 2 points deducted due to administrative irregularities
  7. 1 point deducted due to administrative irregularities

Results

Home \ Away ALB ANC ASC AVE BAR BRE CIT EMP FRO GRO LIV MAN MOD PAR PIA PIS RIM SAL SAS TRV TRI VIC
AlbinoLeffe — 3–4 2–0 2–1 1–4 1–1 2–0 0–0 2–2 4–1 0–1 1–2 2–1 1–0 0–0 1–1 1–2 1–0 1–0 2–0 2–1 0–4
Ancona 1–0 — 0–0 0–1 0–3 2–0 1–2 1–2 1–4 1–1 2–2 2–1 3–1 2–0 0–1 2–4 5–0 3–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 3–2
Ascoli 2–2 2–0 — 2–1 0–1 1–0 1–2 1–0 2–1 0–2 2–3 2–0 1–2 0–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–0 1–1 1–0
Avellino 0–0 3–0 0–2 — 2–1 1–1 0–0 0–1 0–0 2–2 1–3 1–1 4–3 3–3 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–0 1–0 1–2 1–0
Bari 1–2 2–1 2–2 3–0 — 1–1 2–0 0–0 2–1 3–1 0–0 1–0 4–1 0–2 1–0 1–0 3–0 1–0 0–3 4–1 1–1 1–1
Brescia 1–0 3–0 2–1 3–0 0–0 — 0–0 2–0 2–1 1–0 2–2 0–0 1–1 0–0 0–1 4–0 0–1 1–0 4–2 0–0 3–2 2–1
Cittadella 0–0 0–0 0–0 4–0 1–1 2–0 — 0–2 0–0 0–2 0–0 0–2 4–0 2–2 4–4 1–0 2–0 0–0 1–1 1–1 0–3 0–1
Empoli 0–0 1–3 3–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–1 — 1–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 3–1 1–4 3–2 0–3 2–1 2–0 3–2 2–1 4–0 2–0
Frosinone 2–0 1–0 2–0 2–0 0–0 0–3 1–0 0–1 — 2–0 1–1 1–2 1–0 1–2 1–0 1–1 3–1 0–2 2–2 1–0 2–2 0–0
Grosseto 2–2 2–1 1–0 3–2 1–1 2–1 1–1 2–2 2–1 — 2–3 1–1 2–1 1–0 3–0 4–1 1–3 6–2 1–2 4–1 1–0 2–1
Livorno 0–1 2–3 1–0 0–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–0 5–2 0–0 — 1–1 1–2 2–2 3–0 1–1 2–1 3–0 3–2 0–0 0–1 1–1
Mantova 1–0 2–2 0–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 2–5 — 2–2 1–3 0–0 2–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 0–1 0–0
Modena 0–2 1–0 3–0 2–1 0–2 1–3 3–3 3–0 2–0 1–1 0–0 1–0 — 2–2 1–0 3–3 1–1 0–1 2–0 1–1 0–0 3–1
Parma 3–1 4–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 2–2 4–0 0–0 1–0 0–0 — 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–0 1–1 0–0 2–1 4–0
Piacenza 1–2 2–0 2–0 1–2 2–2 2–2 1–0 1–1 3–0 2–3 1–1 1–2 1–0 1–1 — 1–0 0–0 0–1 2–2 2–0 0–2 1–0
Pisa 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–1 0–1 0–3 2–0 3–1 1–2 2–1 1–1 1–0 2–1 1–3 — 1–3 0–0 0–0 2–1 3–1 0–2
Rimini 1–1 2–1 0–1 2–3 1–1 2–0 1–0 0–1 0–0 2–0 1–1 1–0 4–3 0–0 0–2 1–1 — 2–0 1–2 2–2 0–2 0–1
Salernitana 4–2 2–1 1–2 1–0 3–2 3–0 1–2 0–1 3–2 2–0 0–2 2–1 3–2 1–2 0–1 1–1 2–3 — 1–0 2–2 0–1 0–0
Sassuolo 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 1–3 0–0 3–1 0–4 1–1 4–0 2–3 1–2 3–0 2–2 2–1 3–1 1–0 1–0 — 2–0 1–1 0–0
Treviso 1–1 2–2 1–1 2–1 0–2 3–2 0–1 2–0 1–2 1–0 0–4 0–0 0–1 2–2 3–2 0–2 1–0 2–2 2–3 — 1–0 0–1
Triestina 1–1 1–0 1–2 3–1 1–2 1–2 2–1 2–0 2–2 2–3 1–1 1–0 0–1 0–3 0–0 1–0 4–0 3–1 1–1 0–0 — 2–1
Vicenza 0–3 0–0 3–1 3–0 1–2 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–1 5–0 0–1 1–0 2–2 1–1 1–2 0–0 2–0 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 —
Source: http://www.lega-calcio.it
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers

Updated to games played on 30 May 2009

24 goals
23 goals
18 goals
17 goals
16 goals
15 goals
13 goals
12 goals

Play-off

Promotion

Semi-finals
First legs played 7 June 2009; return legs played 11 June 2009
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Grosseto (6) 3–4 (3) Livorno 2–0 1–4
Empoli (5) 1–4 (4) Brescia 1–1 0–3
Finals
First leg played 14 June 2009; return leg played 20 June 2009
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Brescia (4) 2–5 (3) Livorno 2–2 0–3

Relegation

First leg played 6 June 2009; return leg played 13 June 2009
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Ancona (19) 2–1 (18) Rimini 1–1 1–0

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment
Empoli Luigi Cagni Mutual consent 26 May 2008 Silvio Baldini 26 May 2008
Parma Andrea Manzo End of caretaker spell 29 May 2008 Luigi Cagni 29 May 2008
Rimini Leonardo Acori Mutual consent 1 June 2008 Elvio Selighini 3 June 2008
Livorno Fernando Orsi Mutual consent 18 May 2008 Leonardo Acori 4 June 2008
Frosinone Alberto Cavasin Mutual consent 5 June 2008 Piero Braglia 6 June 2008
Piacenza Mario Somma Sacked 1 June 2008 Stefano Pioli 11 June 2008
Salernitana Fabio Brini Mutual consent 23 May 2008 Fabrizio Castori 12 June 2008
Grosseto Stefano Pioli End of contract 1 June 2008 Elio Gustinetti 14 June 2008
Ascoli Ivo Iaconi End of contract 25 June 2008 Nello Di Costanzo 25 June 2008
Sassuolo Massimiliano Allegri Mutual consent 29 May 2008 Andrea Mandorlini 7 July 2008
Treviso Giuseppe Pillon Mutual consent 18 July 2008 Luca Gotti 21 July 2008
Avellino Alessandro Calori End of contract 1 June 2008 Giuseppe Incocciati 26 July 2008
Brescia Serse Cosmi Sacked 25 September 2008 Nedo Sonetti 25 September 2008
Parma Luigi Cagni Sacked 30 September 2008 Francesco Guidolin 30 September 2008
Avellino Giuseppe Incocciati Sacked 7 October 2008 Salvatore Campilongo 7 October 2008
Ascoli Nello Di Costanzo Sacked 21 October 2008 Vincenzo Chiarenza 22 October 2008
Mantova Giuseppe Brucato Sacked 27 October 2008 Alessandro Costacurta 27 October 2008
Ascoli Vincenzo Chiarenza Sacked 7 December 2008 Franco Colomba 7 December 2008
Salernitana Fabrizio Castori Sacked 6 December 2008 Bortolo Mutti 7 December 2008
Salernitana Bortolo Mutti Sacked 24 January 2009 Fabrizio Castori 24 January 2009
Modena Daniele Zoratto Mutual consent 26 January 2009 Luigi Apolloni (caretaker) 26 January 2009
Mantova Alessandro Costacurta Resigned 9 February 2009 Mario Somma 9 February 2009
Grosseto Elio Gustinetti Sacked 15 February 2009 Ezio Rossi 15 February 2009
Treviso Luca Gotti Sacked 24 February 2009 Abel Balbo 24 February 2009
Treviso Abel Balbo Resigned 18 March 2009 Luca Gotti 19 March 2009
Grosseto Ezio Rossi Sacked 25 March 2009 Elio Gustinetti 25 March 2009
Salernitana Fabrizio Castori Sacked 4 April 2009 Fabio Brini 4 April 2009
Pisa Giampiero Ventura Sacked 19 April 2009 Bruno Giordano 19 April 2009
Rimini Elvio Selighini Sacked 27 April 2009 Guido Carboni 27 April 2009
Ancona Francesco Monaco Sacked 3 May 2009 Sandro Salvioni 3 May 2009
Brescia Nedo Sonetti Sacked 19 May 2009 Alberto Cavasin 20 May 2009
Livorno Leonardo Acori Sacked 23 May 2009 Gennaro Ruotolo (caretaker) 23 May 2009