2008–09 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione

The 2008–09 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione season was the thirty-first football (soccer) league season of Italian Lega Pro Seconda Divisione since its establishment in 1978, and the first since the renaming from Serie C2 to Lega Pro.

Geographical distribution of 2008-09 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione teams. Girone A teams are depicted with red dots, Girone B with green, and Girone C with yellow ones.

It was divided into two phases: the regular season, played from September 2008 to May 2009, and the playoff phase from May to June 2009.

It was composed of 54 teams divided into three divisions of 18 teams each, whose teams were divided geographically. Teams only played other teams in their own division, once at home and once away for a total of 34 matches each.

Teams finishing first in the regular season, plus one team winning the playoff round from each division were promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione; teams finishing last in the regular season, plus two relegation playoff losers from each division were relegated to Serie D. In all, six teams were promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione, and nine teams were relegated to Serie D.

Events

Start of season

The league was to feature six teams relegated from Serie C1 in 2007–08; Lecco, Manfredonia, Pro Patria, Lanciano, Martina, and Sangiovannese. Four vacancies were created with the re-admission of Pro Patria, Lanciano, and Lecco to Lega Pro Prima Divisione in 2008-09, and the non-admission of Martina.^[1]

It featured nine teams promoted from 2007–08 Serie D; Alessandria, Aversa Normanna, Como, Figline, Fortitudo Cosenza, Giacomense, Isola Liri, Itala San Marco, and Sangiustese.

The remaining 39 teams were to come from the group of teams that played in 2007–08 Serie C2 that were neither relegated nor promoted. Of those, Nuorese^[2] (9th in Girone A), Sassari Torres^[2] (13th in Girone A), Teramo^[2] (8th in Girone B), and Castelnuovo^[1] (15th in Girone B) were banned or failed to register, creating four more vacancies. A fifth vacancy from this group was created when SPAL, which lost in last year's promotional play-offs, was admitted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione anyway to fill a vacancy.

In all, nine vacancies were created. They were filled as follows:

• Sambonifacese^[3] - Serie D Playoff winner (Serie D/C 3rd)
• Colligiana^[3] - Serie D Playoff runner-up (Serie D/E 2nd)
• Montichiari^[3] - Serie D Playoff semi-finalist (Serie D/D - 2nd)
• Alghero^[4] - Serie D Playoff semi-finalist (Serie D/G - 4th)
• Barletta^[4] - Serie D best second-placed team in group phase of playoffs (Serie D/H - 2nd)
• Rovigo^[3] - a loser in Serie C2/B play-outs and originally destined to play in Serie D
• Andria^[3] - a loser in Serie C2/C play-outs and originally destined to play in Serie D
• Val di Sangro^[4] - a loser in Serie C2/C play-outs and originally destined to play in Serie D
• Pizzighettone^[4] - which finished last in Serie C2/A and originally destined to play in Serie D

Considering all changes, the final team list includes only 2 teams that played in Serie C1 last year, 38 teams that played in Serie C2, and 14 teams that played in Serie D.

Promotions

Two of the three division champions were playing in Serie D in 2007–08. Figline and Cosenza won direct promotion to Lega Pro Prima Divisione for the 2009–10 season by winning Girone B and Girone C respectively. The year before they had been division champions in their respective Serie D divisions, and have thus both been promoted twice in consecutive years. Varese won direct promotion by winning Girone A. Varese played in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione/C2 for three years after winning promotion from Serie D in the 2005–06 season.

Relegations

Teams

On August 14, 2008 the following clubs were confirmed to be competing in the division:^[4]

Girone A

Club	City	Stadium	Capacity	2007–08 season
U.S. Alessandria Calcio 1912	Alessandria	Stadio Giuseppe Moccagatta	8,182	1st in Serie D/A
Pol. Alghero	Alghero	Stadio Mariotti	5,000	4th in Serie D/G
F.C. Canavese	San Giusto Canavese	Stadio Franco Cerutti	1,200	6th in Serie C2/A
A.C. Carpenedolo	Carpenedolo	Stadio Mundial '82	2,500	2nd in Serie C2/A
Calcio Como	Como	Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia	13,602	1st Serie D/B
U.S. Itala San Marco	Gradisca d'Isonzo	Stadio Gino Colaussi	4,000	1st Serie D/C
U.S. Ivrea Calcio	Ivrea	Stadio Gino Pistoni	3,500	8th in Serie C2/A
A.C. Mezzocorona	Mezzocorona (playing in Trento)	Stadio Briamasco	4,227	5th in Serie C2/A
A.C. Montichiari	Montichiari	Stadio Romeo Menti	2,500	2nd in Serie D/D
Olbia Calcio	Olbia	Stadio Bruno Nespoli	8,000	10th in Serie C2/A
A.C. Pavia	Pavia	Stadio Pietro Fortunati	6,000	15th in Serie C2/A
A.S. Pizzighettone	Pizzighettone	Stadio Comunale	2,500	18th in Serie C2/A
U.S. Pro Vercelli Calcio	Vercelli	Stadio Silvio Piola	6,165	7th in Serie C2/A
A.C. Rodengo Saiano	Rodengo-Saiano	Stadio Comunale	2,500	3rd in Serie C2/A
A.C. Sambonifacese	San Bonifacio	Stadio Renzo Tizian	1,450	3rd in Serie D/C
F.C. Südtirol	Bolzano	Stadio Marco Druso	3,000	12th in Serie C2/A
Valenzana Calcio	Valenza	Stadio Comunale	2,200	17th in Serie C2/A
A.S. Varese 1910	Varese	Stadio Franco Ossola	10,000	11th in Serie C2/A

Girone B

Club	City	Stadium	Capacity	2007–08 season
Bassano Virtus 55 S.T.	Bassano del Grappa	Stadio Rino Mercante	3,900	2nd in Serie C2/B
A.C. Bellaria Igea Marina	Bellaria-Igea Marina	Stadio Enrico Nanni	2,500	7th in Serie C2/B
Carrarese Calcio	Carrara	Stadio dei Marmi	15,000	13th in Serie C2/B
Celano F.C. Olimpia	Celano	Stadio Comunale	3,200	5th in Serie C2/C
A.S. Cisco Calcio Roma	Rome	Stadio Flaminio	25,000	9th in Serie C2/C
V.F. Colligiana	Colle di Val d'Elsa	Stadio Gino Manni	3,000	2nd in Serie D/E
Cuoiopelli Cappiano R.	Santa Croce sull'Arno	Stadio Libero Masini	3,350	11th in Serie C2/B
A.S. Figline	Figline Valdarno	Stadio Goffredo Del Buffa	1,700	1st Serie D/E
A.C. Giacomense	Masi Torello (playing in Ferrara)	Stadio Paolo Mazza	19,000	1st Serie D/D
Giulianova Calcio	Giulianova	Stadio Rubens Fadini	5,625	12th in Serie C2/B
A.S. Gubbio 1910	Gubbio	Stadio Polisportivo San Biagio	5,000	10th in Serie C2/B
U.S. Poggibonsi	Poggibonsi	Stadio Stefano Lotti	3,621	6th in Serie C2/B
A.C. Prato	Prato	Stadio Lungobisenzio	6,800	9th in Serie C2/B
Rovigo Calcio	Rovigo	Stadio Francesco Gabrielli	3,200	16th in Serie C2/B
San Marino Calcio	Serravalle, San Marino	Stadio Olimpico	7,000	5th in Serie C2/B
A.C. Sangiovannese 1927	San Giovanni Valdarno	Stadio Virgilio Fedini	3,800	17th in Serie C1/B
A.C. Sangiustese	Monte San Giusto	Stadio Villa San Filippo	1,487	1st Serie D/F
F.C. Esperia Viareggio	Viareggio	Stadio dei Pini	4,700	14th in Serie C2/B

Girone C

Club	City	Stadium	Capacity	2007–08 season
A.S. Andria BAT	Andria	Stadio degli Ulivi	10,500	17th in Serie C2/C
S.F. Aversa Normanna	Aversa	Stadio Rinascita	2,000	1st Serie D/H
S.S. Barletta Calcio	Barletta	Stadio Cosimo Puttilli	5,000	2nd Serie D/H
S.S. Cassino 1927	Cassino	Stadio Gino Salveti	3,700	8th in Serie C2/C
F.C. Catanzaro	Catanzaro	Stadio Nicola Ceravolo	13,619	10th in Serie C2/C
Cosenza Calcio 1914	Cosenza	Stadio San Vito	24,000	1st Serie D/I
Gela Calcio	Gela	Stadio Vincenzo Presti	4,400	7th in Serie C2/C
F.C. Igea Virtus Barcellona	Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto	Stadio Carlo D'Alcontres	5,000	11th in Serie C2/C
A.C. Isola Liri	Isola del Liri	Stadio Conte A. Mangoni	3,400	1st Serie D/G
S.S. Manfredonia Calcio	Manfredonia	Stadio Miramare	4,076	18th in Serie C1/A
A.S. Melfi	Melfi	Stadio Arturo Valerio	4,500	13th in Serie C2/C
A.C. Monopoli	Monopoli	Stadio Vito Simone Veneziani	6,880	6th in Serie C2/C
A.S. Noicattaro Calcio	Noicattaro	Stadio Comunale	2,500	12th in Serie C2/C
A.S. Pescina Valle del Giovenco	Avezzano	Stadio dei Marsi	4,500	2nd in Serie C2/C
S.S. Scafatese Calcio 1922	Scafati	Stadio Comunale	1,950	16th in Serie C2/C
Pol. Val di Sangro	Atessa	Stadio Montemarcone	2,000	15th in Serie C2/C
U.S. Vibonese Calcio	Vibo Valentia	Stadio Luigi Razza	4,500	14th in Serie C2/C
Vigor Lamezia	Lamezia Terme	Stadio Guido D'Ippolito	4,000	4th in Serie C2/C

League tables

Girone A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Varese (C, P)	34	16	13	5	52	28	+24	61	Promotion to Lega Pro Prima Divisione
2	Alessandria (P)	34	15	16	3	42	25	+17	61	Qualification for Promotion play-off
3	Como (O, P)	34	15	11	8	40	34	+6	56
4	Rodengo Saiano	34	14	13	7	39	26	+13	55
5	Olbia	34	16	6	12	36	29	+7	54
6	Sambonifacese	34	14	11	9	44	38	+6	53
7	Itala San Marco	34	12	14	8	36	29	+7	50
8	Canavese	34	11	11	12	37	41	−4	44
9	Ivrea (R)	34	11	10	13	37	39	−2	43	Relegation to Promozione
10	Mezzocorona	34	11	9	14	36	40	−4	42
11	Pro Vercelli	34	8	16	10	27	33	−6	40
12	Pavia	34	12	9	13	37	38	−1	40[a]
13	Alghero	34	9	11	14	36	44	−8	38
14	Montichiari (R)	34	9	11	14	43	47	−4	38	Qualification for Relegation play-off
15	Südtirol	34	8	12	14	31	40	−9	36
16	Valenzana	34	8	12	14	27	36	−9	36	Qualification for Relegation play-off
17	Carpenedolo	34	7	12	15	29	41	−12	33	Qualification for Relegation play-off
18	Pizzighettone (R)	34	6	11	17	24	45	−21	29	Relegation to Serie D

Updated to match(es) played on 10 May 2009. Source: Lega Calcio Professionistico
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

1. 5 points deducted.

Girone B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Figline (C, P)	34	16	14	4	39	25	+14	62	Promotion to Lega Pro Prima Divisione
2	Viareggio (P)	34	15	13	6	42	29	+13	58	Qualification for Promotion play-off
3	Giulianova (O, P)	34	15	13	6	36	24	+12	58
4	Bassano Virtus	34	14	13	7	47	36	+11	55
5	Prato	34	15	9	10	41	35	+6	54
6	Cisco Roma	34	14	9	11	37	30	+7	50[a]
7	Gubbio	34	11	11	12	36	35	+1	44
8	Giacomense	34	11	11	12	38	38	0	44
9	Carrarese	34	10	13	11	34	33	+1	43
10	Sangiustese	34	9	16	9	29	31	−2	43
11	Celano	34	10	11	13	50	44	+6	41
12	Sangiovannese	34	10	10	14	34	38	−4	40
13	Colligiana	34	10	10	14	29	36	−7	40
14	Cuoiocappiano (R)	34	8	14	12	29	41	−12	38	Qualification for Relegation play-off
15	Poggibonsi	34	8	12	14	27	41	−14	36	Qualification for Relegation play-off
16	San Marino	34	7	14	13	37	45	−8	35	Qualification for Relegation play-off
17	Bellaria Igea	34	5	18	11	36	46	−10	33
18	Rovigo (R)	34	5	15	14	29	43	−14	30	Relegation to Serie D

Updated to match(es) played on 17 May 2009. Source: Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

1. 1 point deducted.^{[permanent dead link]}

Girone C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Cosenza (C, P)	34	19	10	5	39	16	+23	67	Promotion to Lega Pro Prima Divisione
2	Gela	34	17	13	4	42	23	+19	64	Qualification for Promotion play-off
3	Catanzaro	34	15	14	5	39	23	+16	59
4	Pescina V.d.G. (O, P)	34	13	15	6	42	32	+10	54
5	Andria BAT (P)	34	15	7	12	33	28	+5	52
6	Cassino	34	12	16	6	39	27	+12	52
7	Barletta	34	10	14	10	32	31	+1	44
8	Monopoli	34	9	16	9	42	36	+6	43
9	Aversa Normanna	34	10	12	12	32	33	−1	42
10	Melfi	34	9	14	11	39	41	−2	41
11	Noicattaro	34	9	14	11	25	28	−3	41
12	Scafatese	34	11	8	15	32	39	−7	41
13	Igea Virtus	34	8	16	10	29	27	+2	40
14	Manfredonia	34	10	11	13	25	32	−7	40[a]	Qualification for Relegation play-off
15	Val di Sangro (R)	34	8	11	15	29	43	−14	35
16	Vibonese	34	7	13	14	21	36	−15	34
17	Isola Liri	34	5	15	14	24	40	−16	30	Qualification for Relegation play-off
18	Vigor Lamezia (R)	34	5	9	20	20	49	−29	24	Relegation to Serie D

Updated to match(es) played on 17 May 2009. Source: Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

1. 1 point deducted.^{[permanent dead link]}

Promotion and relegation playoffs

Girone A

Promotion

Promotion playoff semifinals

First legs played May 31, 2009; return legs played June 7, 2009

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Olbia (5)	1–1	(2) Alessandria	1–0	0–1
Rodengo Saiano (4)	1–1	(3) Como	1–1	0–0

Promotion playoff finals

First leg played June 14, 2009; return leg played June 21, 2009

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Como (3)	4–1	(2) Alessandria	2–1	2–0

Como promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione

Relegation

Relegation playoffs

First legs played May 31, 2009; return legs played June 7, 2009

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Carpenedolo (17)	2–1	(14) Montichiari	1–0	1–1
Valenzana (16)	2–2	(15) Südtirol-Alto Adige	2–0	0–2

Montichiari and Valenzana relegated to Serie D

Girone B

Promotion

Promotion playoff semifinals

First legs played May 31, 2009; return legs played June 7, 2009

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Prato (5)	3–2	(2) Viareggio	2–0	1–2
Bassano (4)	1–2	(3) Giulianova	1–1	0–1

Promotion playoff finals

First leg played June 14, 2009; return leg played June 21, 2009

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Prato (5)	1–1(aet)	(3) Giulianova	0–1	1–0

Giulianova promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione

Relegation

Relegation playoffs

First legs played May 31, 2009; return legs played June 7, 2009

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Bellaria Igea (17)	4–2	(14) Cuoiocappiano	3–2	1–0
San Marino (16)	3–2	(15) Poggibonsi	3–1	0–1

Cuoiocappiano and Poggibonsi relegated to Serie D

Girone C

Promotion

Promotion playoff semifinals

First legs played May 31, 2009; return legs played June 7, 2009

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Andria BAT (5)	1–1	(2) Gela	0–0	1–1
Pescina V.d.G. (4)	3–2	(3) Catanzaro	0–0	3–2

Promotion playoff finals

First leg played June 14, 2009; return leg played June 21, 2009

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Pescina V.d.G. (4)	2–1	(2) Gela	1–0	1–1

Pescina V.d.G. promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione

Relegation

Relegation playoffs

First legs played May 31, 2009; return legs played June 7, 2009

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Isola Liri (17)	0–5	(14) Manfredonia	0–3	0–2
Vibonese (16)	3–1	(15) Val di Sangro	1–0	2–1

Isola Liri and Val di Sangro relegated to Serie D