Information AboutSerie B |
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Serie B is the name of the second highest Football league in Italy . It consists of 22 teams. The championship is often called the ''cadetti'', which means 'juniors' or ' Cadets ', or ''campionato cadetto''. Serie B was composed of 20 teams until the 2002-2003 season. It was enlarged to 24 teams for the 2003-2004 season due to legal problems relating to Calcio Catania relegation. The league reverted to 22 teams for the 2004-2005 season, while Serie A expanded from 18 to 20 teams. During the regular season, each team plays 42 games - 2 each against every opponent. In Italian football, a true Round-robin format is used - In the first half of the season, called ''andata'', each team plays once against all its opponents, a total of 21 games. In the second half of the season, called ''ritorno'', each team will play the same teams in the exact same order, the only difference being that a home game played in the first half will be an away game with that same team in the second half, and vice versa. Beginning with the 2006-07 season, the Serie B champion is awarded the cup ''Ali della Vittoria'' (Wings of Victory). The trophy is 63 cm high and weighs 5 Kg. Its structure represents the wings of the goddess Nike (goddess of victory) holding a cup similar to an olympic flame. Serie B matches are usually played on Saturday, except for the one game played on Friday called ''anticipo'' (the advanced game) and one game played on Monday called ''posticipo'' (the post-dated game). The league also plays on several Wednesdays to fit in all 42 games. The league plays on Sunday if Serie A is off. PROMOTION AND RELEGATION At the end of the season , three teams are Promoted to Serie A and four teams are Relegated to Serie C1 . The top two teams are automatically promoted. If the 3rd-placed team is 10 or more points ahead of the 4th-placed team, it too is automatically promoted, otherwise the 3rd through 6th-placed teams enter a playoff tournament to determine the other team that will be promoted. If the playoff conditions exist, the first round pairs the 3rd-placed team vs the 6th-placed team and the 4th-placed team vs the 5th-placed team in a double-leg series with the higher classified team having home-field advantage in the 2nd leg. The team with the higher aggregate score moves on to the second round. If at the end of regular play in the second leg an aggregate tie exists, the higher classified team moves on (the Away Goals Rule is not used). The two winners then play in a two-legged 'final' under a similar format with the higher-classified team at home in the second leg. The only difference being that if an aggregate tie exists at the end of regular play in the second leg, extra time is played. If the two teams are still tied after thirty minutes, the higher classified team is the one promoted. In the relegation zone, the three last-placed teams (20th,21st and 22nd) are automatically demoted to Serie C1. If the 18th-placed team is 5 or more points ahead of the 19th-placed team, then the 19th-placed team becomes the 4th and final team to be demoted, otherwise the conditions for a playoff more commonly called ''playout'' exist. If the playout is necessary, the 18th and 19th-placed teams are paired in a two-legged series with home-field advantage in the 2nd leg going to the 18th-placed team. The team with the higher aggregate score remains in Serie B while the loser becomes the fourth team relegated to Serie C1. If an aggregate tie exists at the end of regulation play of the 2nd leg, the 18th-placed team is saved, and the 19th-placed team is demoted. CHAMPION CLUBS Promotions by season
Performance by club Titles by region Titles by city COMPLETE TEAM LIST By season These are the 133 clubs which took part to the 76 Serie B editions played from 1929 - 30 to 2006 - 07 .
By team SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINK |
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