Serie B playoffs and playouts: dates, times and regulations

With the triple whistle blown on the ten matches valid for the thirty-eighth and final day of the regular season, Serie B has issued the final verdicts: Venezia champion and promoted to Serie A, joining them in the top flight will be Frosinone. Monza and Palermo directly to the playoff semifinals, the preliminary round will instead see Catanzaro, Modena, Juve Stabia and Avellino on the field.

Mantova, Padova, Cesena, Carrarese, Sampdoria, Virtus Entella and Empoli (the latter thanks to Stiven Shpendi’s 91′ goal worth a very precious 2-2 draw at home to Monza) can give the “free all” knowing salvation on the field, while one among Südtirol and Bari, qualified for the playout, will sadly accompany Pescara, Reggiana and Spezia to Serie C.

The following is the postseason schedule, with rules, dates and times for each round:

Playoffs

Preliminary Round: Modena-Juve Stabia (May 12, 6:45 p.m.), Catanzaro-Avellino (May 12, 9 p.m.). Single match at the home of the top-ranked team, which advances to the round in case of a tie after extra time.

Semifinals: first leg winner. MO/JS vs Monza (May 16, 8 p.m.), winner. CZ/AV vs Palermo (May 17, 8 p.m.), return Monza vs vinc. MO/JS (May 19, 8 p.m.), Palermo vs vinc. CZ/AV (May 20, 8 pm). In case of a tie after 180′, the best ranked team passes directly, without proceeding with overtime or penalties.

Final: first leg at home of the worst ranked (May 24, 8 pm), return on reversed fields (May 29, 8 pm). Same regulations as semifinals.

Playout

First leg: Bari-Südtirol (May 16, 8 pm); return Südtirol-Bari (May 22, 8 pm). Same regulations as semifinals and playoff final.

Who is already certain to play in the next Serie B, then? Certainly Pisa and Hellas Verona, already arithmetically relegated from Serie A, who will be joined by the third to fall from the top flight (currently Cremonese occupy the third-last place). The five playoff disappointments will also play in the cadet championship next year, along with the teams that won salvation and the playout winner. From C, on the other hand, Vicenza, Arezzo and Benevento go up, with another team joining at the conclusion of the third-series playoffs.