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
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 TeamPresidentManagerKit manufacturerShirt sponsorAlbinoLeffe Gianfranco Andreoletti Armando MadonnaAcerbisUBI Banca Popolare di Bergamo (H)/UBI Assicurazioni (A), Studio Casa Agenzie ImmobiliariAncona Giorgio Perrotti Sandro SalvioniLegeaKerself/Elitaria/University.it/Twice/H6Ascoli Roberto Benigni Franco ColombaLegeaCarisap, FainplastAvellino Massimo Pugliese Salvatore CampilongoLegeaSidigasBari Vincenzo Matarrese Antonio ConteErreàGaudianello, RadionorbaBrescia Gino Corioni Alberto CavasinAsicsUBI Banco di Brescia, Bregoli SpACittadella Andrea Gabrielli Claudio FoscariniGarmanSiderurgica GabrielliEmpoli Fabrizio Corsi Silvio BaldiniAsicsLimonta Sport, Computer GrossFrosinone Maurizio Stirpe Piero BragliaLegeaBanca Popolare del Frusinate, Provincia di FrosinoneGrosseto Piero Camilli Elio GustinettiErreàIndustria Lavorazione Carni Ovine, Banca della MaremmaLivorno Aldo Spinelli Leonardo AcoriLegeaBanca Carige, PediatricaMantova Fabrizio Lori Mario SommaDiadoraNuova PansacModena Alfredo Amadei Luigi ApolloniErreàImmergas, KerakollParma Tommaso Ghirardi Francesco GuidolinErreàBanca Monte Parma, Metella Trasporti & LogisticaPiacenza Fabrizio Garilli Stefano PioliMacronUNICEFPisa Luca Pomponi Bruno GiordanoJomaLimonta Sport/Abitalia, Abitalia/NettaroRimini Luca Benedettini Guido CarboniMacronBanca di Rimini/B&H Hotels, SayerlackSalernitana Antonio Lombardi Fabio BriniUmbroInterauto Citroën/VIT Cartiera Confalone, SantagataSassuolo Carlo Rossi Andrea MandorliniSportikaMapeiTreviso Ettore Setten Luca GottiLottoGrigolin/Banca TrevisoTriestina Stefano Fantinel Rolando MaranMassBossini, FantinelVicenza Sergio Cassingena Angelo GregucciDiadoraFieri 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
Results
Top goalscorers Updated to games played on 30 May 2009
24 goals Francesco Tavano (Livorno) 23 goals Barreto (Bari) 18 goals Salvatore Bruno (Modena) Riccardo Meggiorini (Cittadella) 17 goals Salvatore Mastronunzio (Ancona) Daniele Vantaggiato (Rimini/Parma) 16 goals Alessandro Noselli (Sassuolo) 15 goals Andrea Caracciolo (Brescia) Éder (Frosinone) Marco Sansovini (Grosseto) 13 goals Arturo Di Napoli (Salernitana) Alessandro Diamanti (Livorno) Francesco Ruopolo (AlbinoLeffe) 12 goals Saša Bjelanović (Vicenza) Francesco Lodi (Empoli) Cristiano Lucarelli (Parma) Alberto Paloschi (Parma) Thomas Pichlmann (Grosseto) Nicola Pozzi (Empoli)
Play-off
Promotion Semi-finals First legs played 7 June 2009; return legs played 11 June 2009
Finals First leg played 14 June 2009; return leg played 20 June 2009
Relegation First leg played 6 June 2009; return leg played 13 June 2009
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Empoli Luigi Cagni Mutual consent Silvio Baldini Parma Andrea Manzo End of caretaker spell Luigi Cagni Rimini Leonardo Acori Mutual consent Elvio Selighini Livorno Fernando Orsi Mutual consent Leonardo Acori Frosinone Alberto Cavasin Mutual consent Piero Braglia Piacenza Mario Somma Sacked Stefano Pioli Salernitana Fabio Brini Mutual consent Fabrizio Castori Grosseto Stefano Pioli End of contract Elio Gustinetti Ascoli Ivo Iaconi End of contract Nello Di Costanzo Sassuolo Massimiliano Allegri Mutual consent Andrea Mandorlini Treviso Giuseppe Pillon Mutual consent Luca Gotti Avellino Alessandro Calori End of contract Giuseppe Incocciati Brescia Serse Cosmi Sacked Nedo Sonetti Parma Luigi Cagni Sacked Francesco Guidolin Avellino Giuseppe Incocciati Sacked Salvatore Campilongo Ascoli Nello Di Costanzo Sacked Vincenzo Chiarenza Mantova Giuseppe Brucato Sacked Alessandro Costacurta Ascoli Vincenzo Chiarenza Sacked Franco Colomba Salernitana Fabrizio Castori Sacked Bortolo Mutti Salernitana Bortolo Mutti Sacked Fabrizio Castori Modena Daniele Zoratto Mutual consent Luigi Apolloni (caretaker) Mantova Alessandro Costacurta Resigned Mario Somma Grosseto Elio Gustinetti Sacked Ezio Rossi Treviso Luca Gotti Sacked Abel Balbo Treviso Abel Balbo Resigned Luca Gotti Grosseto Ezio Rossi Sacked Elio Gustinetti Salernitana Fabrizio Castori Sacked Fabio Brini Pisa Giampiero Ventura Sacked Bruno Giordano Rimini Elvio Selighini Sacked Guido Carboni Ancona Francesco Monaco Sacked Sandro Salvioni Brescia Nedo Sonetti Sacked Alberto Cavasin Livorno Leonardo Acori Sacked Gennaro Ruotolo (caretaker)
Attendances
# Club Average 1 Bari 15,345 2 Salernitana 11,441 3 Parma 10,301 4 Pisa 9,675 5 Livorno 7,851 6 Vicenza 7,390 7 Mantova 6,421 8 Triestina 5,730 9 Ancona 5,669 10 Modena 5,636 11 Ascoli 5,237 12 Rimini 4,201 13 Empoli 4,166 14 Sassuolo 3,847 15 Frosinone 3,435 16 AlbinoLeffe 3,358 17 Grosseto 3,251 18 Piacenza 3,173 19 Brescia 2,996 20 Treviso 2,862 21 Avellino 2,737 22 Cittadella 1,891Source:
References