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Feb.27,2005 -Mar.6,2005 |
Problem solved, for now at least
Italian Soccer Federation readmits relegated sides Catania, Genoa and Salernitana
By Mehrdad Masoudi
Originally Published: 2003-09-21
Once again Italian soccer authorities were presented with a series of difficult issues with which they had to deal with at the outset of another new season. And they were eventually forced to make the best of the worst options to get the season fully underway.
This season's controversial issue began in August when the Italian Soccer Federation readmitted relegated sides Catania, Genoa and Salernitana to the second division, along with Florence club Fiorentina. The move came after Catania won a legal action against their relegation.
Italy's Serie A will be expanded from 18 to 20 teams next season after a deal was finally struck with rebel second division clubs who had boycotted the start of the current campaign. Following that decision Serie B returned to normal last Thursday after the clubs agreed to end their protest.
Clubs were angered by the decision last month to expand Serie B to 24 teams, with three relegated clubs given a reprieve and Fiorentina promoted. None of the opening Serie B fixtures took place, while only two matches were played in the scheduled second round.
The deal would mean five teams promoted from Serie B this season and three relegated from Serie A. A playoff will take place between the sixth place side in Serie B and the team finishing 15th in Serie A. From next season Italy will therefore have an expanded 20-team Serie A, with Serie B reduced to 22 teams.
Following last week's decision, the president of Serie B club Verona has resigned blaming the row that has dogged Italian soccer over the past month for his decision. Giambattista Pastorello said in a statement on the club's website that the expansion of Serie B to 24 clubs, a move that followed legal and political wrangles, meant "the credibility of (Italian) soccer has been totally annulled".
"Personally I couldn't see any logic in continuing in my role either as president of Hellas Verona or as a representative to the Soccer League," added Pastorello.
An enlarged Serie A presents another problem for the Italian soccer federation. At a time FIFA is urging national associations whose top domestic leagues feature 20 teams to reduce them to 18 and 16 teams, the Italian decision will have to be reversed in a season or two. That in turn could spark even more controversy to which the Italian soccer fans are accustomed.
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