Why Have the Serie B Relegation Play-Offs Been Suspended and What Does Brescia Have to Do With It?

The conclusion of the 2024-2025 Serie B season became very uncertain and chaotic due to the sudden suspension of the relegation play-offs. Three teams are relegated from Serie B to Serie C each season, with the 16th and 17th-placed sides facing each other to avoid relegation. Currently, the standings are Frosinone in 15th place with 43 points, Salernitana in 16th place with 42 points, Sampdoria in 17th place with 41 points, Brescia in 18th place with 39 points (demoted), Cittadella in 19th place with 39 points, and Cosenza in 20th place with 30 points. The regulation season had already ended on 13th May with Sampdoria, Citadella, and Cosenza set to be relegated, whereas Salernitana and Frosinone were supposed to play the first leg of their relegation play-off match on 19th May.

However, the relegation play-offs were suspended due to a breach of rules by Brescia. This is because the club's chairman (former Cagliari and Leeds United owner), Massimo Cellino, paid for the wages of the club's players and staff in February using illegal paperwork that had irregularities. All clubs in Italy are required to prove their financial stability to play in any league.

And to make things worse, Brescia was found guilty of these charges; they received a four-point deduction, which changed how the season ended entirely. Brescia was then relegated alongside Citadella and Cosenza since their point deduction put them in 18th place with 39 points and 30 points. Frosinone will then move to 15th place, and Salernitana and Sampdoria (1992 UEFA Champions League finalist, formerly known as European Cup) will play a relegation play-off fixture.

Brescia’s Official Statement After Serie B 4-Point Deduction

Amidst all this drama, around 700 Brescia fans protested outside the club's stadium against chairman Massimo Cellino, FIGC (Italian Football Federation), and even Serie B. But the news they received was rather petrifying as they've been demoted to Serie C for the irregularities found during the investigation. Brescia's official statement reads, “Brescia announces that it will appeal to any sporting and non-sporting body to protect its position, believing that it has correctly complied with the federal deadlines.” It remains to be seen how Brescia's appeal works out for the Italian outfit. Meanwhile, the leagues' bottom teams' Serie B future remains in limbo. Not only that, even the President of Brescia, Massimo Cellino, and director Edoardo Celliona were given a six-month ban.

Why was Brescia demoted to Serie C?

With the latest development in Serie B relegation, it has been officially announced by the Federal National Tribunal that they found irregularities in the credit note worth over €2.4 million. This amount was put forward by Brescia to cover the outstanding wages from November 2024, December 2024, and January 2025. Brescia relegation battle is now over as they have been demoted to Serie C from Serie B. But, this has made things more difficult, as the relegation play-out was meant to be between Salenitana vs Frosinone, but will now take place between Salenitana vs Sampdoria.