Lega Serie B – General Discussion

[RomaShield27]

Serie B to change its name?
http://www.football-italia.net/nov26e.html – Thursday 26 November, 2009

In anticipation of July 1, 2010 when Serie B won't formally exist any more, Italian officials are toying with calling Italy's Second Division Serie A2. Just like what happened in England in the early `90s the top-flight will separate from the lower tiers at the end of this season, meaning Serie B, already impoverished, will have to go it alone like the Championship in this country.

Paolo Bedin, the coordinator of the project, said: “We are in a consultation phase. We are analysing if the opportunity exists to change the name further to the logo.

“I repeat that nothing has been decided. In the case that it will then the choice will be made with the agreement of everybody.â€

[ricky2882]

[red]

It's just like it is in England where the top division is run by a seperate organisation from the lower leagues.

The main practical effect, as I understand it, is that the lower league will not get a cut of the top division's TV money.

[RomaShield27]

Yeah, its all about money, and how TV rights for it will be sold completely separate from the top division, in effect cutting it off from Serie A, so really they can call it whatever they like. Although Serie 'A2' sounds like some sort of exam result.

[RomaShield27]

Serie B Monthly Focus - November - Gallipoli's knight in shining armour
– By Steve Mitchell

In the summer of 2008, former Roma legend Giuseppe Giannini took over the reigns at Gallipoli, a club that only six years previously had plied its trade in the amateur ranks of the Italian game. In that short space of time, the club had a meteoric rise into Lega C1, and was just one small step away from playing in the second tier of Italian football for the first time in its history. Giannini had cut his teeth in management at Serie C sides Foggia and Sambenedettese, but had found it hard to galvanise his squads into the style that he himself had produced in Italian football’s most evocative eras, the late 1980’s and early ‘90’s.

A disastrous switch to Romania, where he coached Arges Pistesti, was followed by another unsuccessful return to lower league Italian football, this time with Massese, where he left after an acrimonious falling out with the board of directors. When he took over at Gallipoli there was little to encourage the local population that here was the man who could bring them glories never seen in this part of Italy. Still, 12 months later, Giannini had completed the club’s fairytale rise from amateur level to Serie B participants and the whole town went out to party. As the players danced in the warm seas that are just a stone’s throw from the stadium, little could they have foreseen the turbulent summer that lay in wait. Boardroom wrangling dominated the close season in Salento, as President Vincenzo Barba put the club up for sale. Their Antonio Bianco Stadium was declared unfit for Serie B, and Giannini decided enough was enough and quit whilst his star was at its brightest.

As the new season’s fixtures were announced, the club had just three players still under contract - David Mounard, Francesco Di Gennaro and talisman Ciro Ginestra. Indeed the magnitude of the club’s staff shortages was so great that in the club’s opening Coppa Italia game they were forced to field their Under-19 team. But salvation lay around the corner as an Udine-based consortium took over the club from Barba and Giannini returned as Coach for the start of the league campaign.

The Giallorossi were forced to play their home fixtures in Lecce at the Via del Mare and many experts gave them no chance of staying in Serie B for longer than one season. After a poor start, hampered by the fact that Giannini had to work with a group of players who were practically strangers to one another, results have now improved dramatically. The Southerners have been this season’s draw specialists with seven of their opening 16 fixtures ending with a share of the points. But the recent victory over Frosinone, and last weekend’s derby win in Salerno against Salernitana, have propelled Giannini’s team into mid-table security as they attempt to prove all their doubters wrong. Ciro Ginestra is the club’s iconic striker – with his bald head and bearded face, he is the team’s focal point, the fulcrum of all that is good about Gallipoli. The spine of the side is completed by defender Matteo Abbate, and midfielder tender Alex Pederzoli who, along with Ginestra, have been almost constant fixtures in the side this term.

It is no surprise that playing their home games in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Via del Mare has hampered the team’s progress, as they have currently only won two of the fixtures at their adopted home. Ironically, the successes have come against former table toppers Frosinone and current league leaders Ancona. As the season progresses, Giannini will hope his players can acclimatise to their new surroundings and pick up valuable home wins to aid them in their quest for survival. Credit must also go to the new club directors who have shown patience and allowed Giannini to turn the club’s fortunes around, unlike a whole host of other Serie B supremos, who have had knee-jerk reactions to their club’s poor form.

As we come up to the winter break, no fewer than eight clubs have changed coaches - Salernitana are on their third Coach of the season, Albinoleffe, Brescia, Triestina, Reggina, Piacenza, Ascoli and Torino have also had changes in personnel as trigger-happy Presidents become impatient in their quest to reach the promised land of Serie A. The recent announcement that from next season, Serie A will be modelled on the English Premiershit and become totally self-sufficient, has given cash-hungry bosses even more sleepless nights as they try to get their clubs an invite to Italy’s top table. Serie B will not receive the bonuses and incentives from the peninsula’s top division that it has relied on for so long and many people fear for the future of lower league football in the country.

Serie B will be renamed as part of the overhaul and at the moment the country’s state TV network Rai is running a poll to find out what supporters would like the league to be known as from next season. So far, the popular vote seems to be for either Lega A2 or Lega Pro Championship. For now though, Lega Calcio chiefs would be well advised to focus more on getting a sponsor to pump some much needed cash into an ailing league that deserves to be far more than just a player feeding frenzy for Italy’s Serie A heavyweights.

[Messinterista]

[quote="RomaShield27"]Serie B to change its name?
http://www.football-italia.net/nov26e.html – Thursday 26 November, 2009

In anticipation of July 1, 2010 when Serie B won't formally exist any more, Italian officials are toying with calling Italy's Second Division Serie A2. Just like what happened in England in the early `90s the top-flight will separate from the lower tiers at the end of this season, meaning Serie B, already impoverished, will have to go it alone like the Championship in this country.

Paolo Bedin, the coordinator of the project, said: “We are in a consultation phase. We are analysing if the opportunity exists to change the name further to the logo.

“I repeat that nothing has been decided. In the case that it will then the choice will be made with the agreement of everybody.â€

[red]

Marketing.

Did changing 'Division1' or 'Division2' to the 'Championship' in England earn it more money?

I don't know, but probably.

[RomaShield27]

Ascoli 'Fair Play' goal investigated
– Sunday 6 December, 2009

An investigation is underway after Ascoli stood by and allowed Reggina to score in a gesture of ‘Fair Play.’ There were chaotic scenes and a moral conundrum during Saturday’s game at Ascoli’s Stadio Del Duca.

Reggina player Carlos Valdez pulled a muscle and tried to put the ball out of play so he could be stretchered off. However, probably not realising the intention, Vincenzo Sommese intercepted it and rushed forward to set up the opening goal.

Reggina were furious and in the ensuing melee had Costa sent off for striking Sommese. Ascoli decided to ‘rectify’ the error of judgment by effectively giving their opponents a goal, so when play resumed, the entire team stood still and allowed Pagano to walk into an empty net.

Despite playing with 10 men for over an hour, Reggina went on to win the match 3-1.

“We made the decision all together, there is no single person responsible for it,â€

[Messinterista]

[red]

I don't know about that.

Hooliganism was still rife, the grounds were in need of improvement and England was just coming off a ban from European football for Heysel.

My understanding is that it was the changes made post-Hillsborough and the birth of SKY TV that really turned English football around.

There are certainly a number of similarities which could be drawn between late '80s English football and Italian football today.

[juventino_italiano]

[juventino_italiano]

[Messinterista]

[San Paolo]

[morra10]

[juventino_italiano]

[Messinterista]

Week 23 - Reports

Albinoleffe 2-0 Cittadella
Albinoleffe got the rub of the green in a fairly static encounter at the Stadio Azzurri d'Italia. Cellini converted a soft penalty earned by Perico on the stroke of half-time, while in stoppages Cisse put the result under lock and key with a right-foot rising strike from the edge of the box.
Scorers: Cellini pen 45 (A), Cisse 91 (A)
Albinoleffe: Pelizzoli, Luoni, Bergamelli, Foglio (Cisse’ 83), Perico, Sala, Laner, Cristiano (Cioffi 86), Previtali, Ruopolo, Cellini (Passoni 75)
Cittadella: Villanova, Cherubin, Marchesan, Pesoli, Manucci (De Gasperi 87), Volpe, Musso (Bellazzini 69), Dalla Bona, Ardemagni, Pettinari (Oliveira 60), Iunco
Ref: Gallione
Attendance: 3,008

Ascoli 2-0 Modena
Ascoli notched up their fifth consecutive victory, but left it very late indeed to break through a solid Modena. Bruno, Sommese and Luci had chances before a flurry of activity in the final minutes. The turning point came when Catellani reacted angrily to a Luci tackle and was sent off. Just 60 seconds later Antenucci shrugged off his marker to fire in the right-foot finish and then he was brought down by Gozzi for Bernacci's chipped penalty.
Scorers: Antenucci 84 (A), Bernacci pen 87 (A)
Sent off: Catellani 83 (M), Gozzi 87 (M)
Ascoli: Guarna, Gazzola, Giallombardo, Micolucci, Portin, Sommese (Ciofani 71), Pesce (Margarita 94), Luci, Di Donato, Antenucci, Bernacci
Modena: Narciso, Gozzi, Tamburini, Perna, Diagouraga, Colucci, Giampà (Girardi 89), Luisi (Pinardi 81), Troiano, Napoli (Catellani 61), Bruno
Ref: Pierpaoli
Attendance: 4,050

Brescia 3-0 Crotone
Caracciolo scored a hat-trick in the final 12 minutes, but undoubtedly Brescia were aided by playing against a Crotone side that ended the match with eight men. The visitors had the best early opportunities with a save on Galardo, but even after De Martino's dismissal, it took a penalty (and another red card for Galeoto) to break through. Caracciolo scored a second from 10 yards, then converted another spot-kick for Morleo's last-man foul.
Scorers: Caracciolo pen 78, 87, pen 90 (B)
Sent off: De Martino 57 (C), Galeoto 76 (C), Morleo 89 (C)
Brescia: Arcari, Baiocco (Cordova 63), Caracciolo, Berardi, Dallamano (Lopez 72), De Maio, Zambelli (Martinez Vidal 81), Bega, Budel, Vass, Possanzini
Crotone: Concetti, Abruzzese, Galeoto, Morleo, Legati, Mazzarani (Perpetuini 59), Galardo, De Martino, Bonvissuto, Gabionetta, Degano (Russotto 53)
Ref: Pinzani
Attendance: 3,680

Cesena 0-0 Gallipoli
Cesena had the opportunity to go top on their own awaiting Lecce's Monday night fixture, but could not break down Gallipoli. Goalkeeper Sciarrone kept out the only real two scoring opportunities with saves to deny Giaccherini and Parolo.
Sent off: Pallante 88 (G)
Cesena: Antonioli, Biasi, Petras, Volta, De Feudis (Tattini 70), Do Prado, Parolo, Segarelli (Pedrelli 33), Schelotto (Ferri 86), Bucchi, Giaccherini
Gallipoli: Sciarrone, Viana, Mandorlini (Della Penna 82), Pallante, Grandoni, Abbate, Sosa, Mancini (Moro 80), Scaglia, Pederzoli, Ginestra (Tagliani 91)
Ref: Doveri
Attendance: 10,492

Empoli 0-0 Torino
Torino’s revival under Stefano Colantuono continued with a precious point considering they were a man down for almost 40 minutes. Empoli remain unbeaten on home turf and are a formidable opponent here at the best of times, so expected to take advantage of the situation. In the first half Pia and Bianchi had gone close for the visitors, while Angella had a goal controversially disallowed for a push. Torino saw Gorobsov receive a second yellow card after 52 minutes, but still managed to hang on for the point at the Castellani with a squad bolstered by January signings.
Sent off: Gorobsov 52 (T)
Empoli: Bassi; Antonazzo, Angella, Stovini, Tosto (Fabbrini 64); Marianini (Saudati 83), Musacci, Valdifiori (Gulan 55); Vannucchi; Eder, Coralli
Torino: Sereni; D'Ambrosio, Rivalta, Zoboli, Garofalo; Leon (Bottone 77), Gorobsov, Pestrin, Gasbarroni; Pià (Loviso 55), Bianchi (Salgado 88 )
Ref: Rizzoli
Attendance: 11,423

Grosseto 3-1 Triestina
Grosseto's comfortable victory consolidated fifth place and closed the gap on the automatic promotion spots. Pinilla was the centre of attention, as first he knocked down Carobbio's corner kick for a Freddi header, then bagged a brace with a counter and penalty he had earned for Princivalli's foul. Pinilla also saw his header denied by a goalline clearance. Triestina got a consolation goal in stoppages when Pasquato's effort came off the upright and into the path of Audel.
Scorers: Freddi 31 (G), Pinilla 66, pen 81 (G), Audel 92 (T)
Grosseto: Acerbis, Freddi, Fautario, Melucci, Mora, Job, Carobbio, Vitiello, Vitofrancesco, Pichlmann, Pinilla (D’Alessandro 88 )
Triestina: Agazzi, Crovetto (Godeas 66), Sabato, Audel, Cottafava, Cossu (Pasquato 70), Testini, Sedivec, Princivalli, Gorgone (D’Aversa 70), Dei
Ref: Giancola
Attendance: 2,346

Lecce-Piacenza
To be played on Monday.

Mantova 3-1 Frosinone
Many teams in the play-off race made a step up this weekend, but Frosinone fell behind after this defeat to a side in the relegation zone. Mantova were more aggressive from the start and Caridi crossed for an unmarked Nassi's volley to open the scoring. After the break Caridi earned and converted a penalty through Semenzato's foul and, although Santoruvo's header got Frosinone back into it, Nicco secured the 3-1 scoreline late on with his debut Serie B goal.
Scorers: Nassi 40 (M), Caridi pen 49 (M), Santoruvo 65 (F), Nicco 91 (M)
Mantova: Handanovic, Locatelli (Tarana 60), Lanzoni, Lambrughi, Salviato, Notari, Caridi (Mondini 88 ), Nicco, Grauso, Carrus, Nassi (Cavalli 72)
Frosinone: Sicignano, Guidi, Semenzato (Caetano 89), Giubilato, Bocchetti, Cariello, Biso, Basha, Troianello (Basso 63), Aurelio (Mazzeo 84), Santoruvo
Ref: Stefanini
Attendance: 4,715

Padova 0-1 Reggina
Reggina earned a crucial victory away from home to take them away from the danger zone, but it puts Padova boss Sabatini under pressure. The goal came after 28 minutes when Lanzaro's free kick was touched on by Cesar, acting as an accidental assist for Pagano to fire in. Padova poured forward in the second half, but it was the visitors who had the best chances when Costa thumped the crossbar.
Scorers: Pagano 28 (R)
Padova: Agliardi, Darmian, Trevisan, Renzetti, Cesar, Gasparetto (Rabito 46), Bovo, Jidayi (Soncin 82), Patrascu, Vantaggiato (Gasparello 44), Di Nardo
Reggina: Vigiani, Bonazzoli, Tedesco, Fiorillo, Costa (Barillà 92), Valdez Suarez, Lanzaro, Carmona, Cascione, Pagano (Missiroli 79), Morosini
Ref: Candussio
Attendance: 5,922

Salernitana 3-0 Ancona
Ancona had hoped to close the gap on leaders Lecce, but instead were thumped by the bottom of the table club. It all happened in the second half, as the tension spilled out into a brawl between Montervino and Miramontes. Salernitana broke through just shy of the hour mark when Milani’s foul allowed Merino to convert a penalty. January signing Dionisi came off the bench and made a stunning debut, as within three minutes he had drilled a left-foot shot from distance into the bottom corner, then scored with his right foot from 10 yards.
Scorers: Merino pen 58 (S), Dionisi 81, 88 (S)
Salernitana: Polito, Peccarisi, Kyriazis, Stendardo, Balestri, Tricarico, Merino (Capone 87), Soligo (Carcuro 84), Montervino, Fava, Caputo (Dionisi 76)
Ancona: Junior Costa, Milani (Piccoli 65), Cristante, Cosenza, Zavagno, Catinali, Miramontes, Schiattarella (Gerbo 73), De Falco, Colacone (Camillucci 17), Mastronunzio
Ref: Ciampi
Attendance: 5,765

Sassuolo 2-1 Vicenza
Sassuolo leapfrog Ancona in the standings with this hard-fought victory decided in the second half. Sgrigna had threatened to put Vicenza in front when his volley cracked the underside of the crossbar, but the home side woke up with Noselli's delightful lob. Martinetti nodded in Bianco's cross, so when Sgrigna did convert a penalty, it was too late.
Scorers: Noselli 54 (S), Martinetti 69 (S), Sgrigna pen 87 (V)
Sassuolo: Bressan, Bianco, Polenghi, Minelli, Rossini, Magnanelli, Riccio (Fusani 86), Valeri (Quadrini 46), Salvetti, Martinetti (Masucci 46), Noselli
Vicenza: Fortin, Bjelanovic (Margiotta 78 ), Ferri, Martinelli, Di Cesare, Gavazzi, Brivio, Signori (Braiati 77), Sestu (Misuraca 67), Botta, Sgrigna
Ref: Banti
Attendance: 2,555

Source: http://www.football-italia.net/breps23.html

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Serie B attendances are quite poor.

[RomaShield27]

Serie B Monthly Focus - January - Sassuolo and the second coming of Alessandro Noselli
www.footballitaliano.co.uk – By Steve Mitchell

At the start of the noughties, a young striker was receiving plaudits from across the football fraternity for his outstanding displays, with a club made famous by American author Joe McGinniss in the late 90s. Alessandro Noselli was that striker and the team was Castel Di Sangro. After one season with Sangro, and following a short spell with Avellino, he moved to the Sud Tirol to play with third division outfit Alto Adige where, in two seasons, he pretty much scored in every other game. Triestina then took a gamble on the youngster but after only one goal in 17 games, he was shipped out to Mantova where he spent a further three seasons. His star was on the wane and in the summer of 2008 Sassuolo, a small provincial Serie B club 17km outside of Modena, acquired a player many thought surplus to requirements.

In his first season with the Neroverdi, he notched up just five goals under the tutelage of Andrea Mandorlini as his club came desperately close to snatching a play-off spot. The outstanding form that season of his strike partner Riccardo Zampagna kept Noselli warming the bench rather more than he would have liked. It seemed the club would dispense with his services at the end of the campaign as they looked to take that giant step into the promised land of top flight Italian football for the first time in the club’s history. Surprisingly, it was Coach Mandorlini who received his marching orders last summer and Noselli remained to try to discover the form everyone at the club knew he was capable of. Stefano Pioli arrived from Piacenza to take charge of the Neroverdi at the start of the current campaign and a change of Coach breathed new life into the man from Udine. Currently, Noselli sits in second spot in the Serie B goal scoring charts with 12 goals and has formed a superb relationship with his strike partner Daniele Martinetti. Last weekend’s 2-1 triumph against Vicenza saw both men on the mark in the opening 25 minutes to fire the club from Emilia-Romagna into second place in the table. The whole town is awash with Noselli fever as the unthinkable creeps ever closer. Could this really be the season that a town that comprises of around 42,000 inhabitants, hits the big time and gets the chance to terrorise defences in Milan, Turin and Rome?

Pioli has galvanised the squad into a hard, clinical unit. Primarily he has made them difficult to score against and it is no surprise that his side boast the best goals-against record in the whole division. Walter Bressan has been given the chance to impress in goal and he is joined by a back four of Tiziano Polenghi, Swiss stopper Jonathan Rossini, Mauro Minelli and Gianluigi Bianco. Whilst none of these are household names, as a unit they are a force to be reckoned with. In midfield his troops are marshalled by Emiliano Salvetti, a Serie B legend who served Verona, Bologna and Cesena admirably before joining the Sassuolo in the summer of 2008. He oozes class and glides around the field effortlessly - he is the heartbeat of this team. This season, Pioli has deployed Salvetti to sit just behind Noselli and Martinetti and it has worked to perfection. Three experienced campaigners who have led by example. Across the centre of the field there is the Australian Carl Valeri, who prior to joining the Neroverdi spent five seasons in Tuscany playing for Grosseto. Alongside him is another seasoned campaigner Luigi Riccio, who has also spent the last decade gracing the field of many a Serie B outfit, and Francesco Magnanelli, a 25-year-old who has also played for Chievo.

So the omens look good and much credit must go to club supremo Carlo Sassi, owner of the highly successful Mapei organisation who produce materials for the building industry. Sassi is infatuated with his club and alongside his son Sergio, is dreaming of bringing top-flight football to the town, even though at present the club has to ground share with Modena as their home at the Stadio Enzo Ricci does not meet the capacity requirements for Italy’s top two divisions. Should the fairytale take Sassuolo all the way into Serie A, then funds will be in place to extend the capacity and bring some of the world’s top talent to this industrial part of the peninsula to showcase their talents.

Sassuolo’s story is one to warm the heart of every football supporter - a President who has the passion for his club and the business acumen to make it successful, a Coach who has scoured the country for experienced players and made them feel comfortable, giving them an opportunity for one last shot at the big time. Could Noselli and co be part of the next miracle of Italian football?

[Messinterista]

Week 24 - Reports

Ancona 2-1 Albinoleffe
Ancona put a stop to their dismal run of results by fighting back for a precious victory. It looked bleak for the home team when Albinoleffe took the lead in the opening 60 seconds, as Ruopolo pounced with a left-foot strike that flashed into the far bottom corner. However, they showed a strong reaction with Gerardi nodding in a corner and Miramontes finalised a classic Mastronunzio counter in the second half.
Scorers: Ruopolo 1 (Al), Gerardi 11 (An), Miramontes 71 (An)
Ancona: Junior Costa, Zavagno, Milani (Thackray 46), Pisacane, Cosenza, Surraco, Miramontes (Gerbo 77), Schiattarella, De Falco, Gerardi (Camillucci 54), Mastronunzio
Albinoleffe: Pelizzoli, Bergamelli (Cisse’ 57), Sala, Perico, Cioffi, Laner (Torri 74), Cristiano, Bombardini (Passoni 63), Bernardini, Ruopolo, Cellini
Ref: Stefanini
Attendance: 4,755

Cittadella 1-1 Cesena
Cesena paid the price for a late distraction in this stalemate. They had taken the lead with the first real chance of the game, as Villanova's howler allowed a Greco volley through. Volpe wasted a good opportunity by blasting over, but 12 minutes from time Iunco smashed Marchesan's cross into the top corner.
Scorers: Greco 5 (Ce), Iunco 78 (Ci)
Cittadella: Villanova, Manucci, Cherubin, Nocentini, Iunco, Carteri (Magallanes 73), Bellazzini (Curiale 63), Dalla Bona, Marchesan, Ardemagni, Volpe (Oliveira 55)
Cesena: Antonioli, Lauro, Petras, De Feudis, Volta, Biasi, Giaccherini (Malonga 82), Parolo, Bucchi, Do Prado, Greco (Segarelli 59)
Ref: Nasce
Attendance: 2,803

Crotone 2-1 Empoli
Empoli slid further down the standings with yet another away defeat, as Crotone ended a run of one point from five rounds. It all happened in the second half with Angella bringing down Gabionetta for a penalty converted by January signing Ginestra. Gabionetta then got the next himself on the counter, so Eder's stoppage-time strike was mere consolation.
Scorers: Ginestra pen 57 (C), Gabionetta 81 (C), Eder 92 (E)
Crotone: Concetti, Morleo, Abruzzese, Legati, Galeoto, Mazzarani, Galardo, Beati, Ginestra (Bonvissuto 80), Gabionetta (Russotto 86), Cutolo (Degano 46)
Empoli: Bassi, Vinci, Angella, Tosto, Kokoszka, Musacci, Valdifiori (Vannucchi 78), Gulan (De Giorgio 72), Eder, Cesaretti (Coralli 66), Fabbrini
Ref: Tommasi
Attendance: 3,921

Frosinone 0-4 Lecce
Lecce consolidated their leadership in style by demolishing Frosinone on home turf. There was only ever one team in it and Munari opened the scoring early on with a right-foot strike. Under-21 international Marilungo bagged two in nine minutes with an angled drive and precise downward header from Mesbah’s cross. January signing Di Michele made an immediate impact too, making it 4-0 with his left foot effort, again from a Mesbah assist.
Scorers: Munari 13 (L), Marilungo 50, 59 (L), Di Michele 82 (L)
Frosinone: Sicignano, Del Prete, Giubilato (Guidi 46), Scarlato, Bocchetti, Biso, Basha, Basso (Aurelio 59), Cariello, Stellone (Calil Caetano 76), Santoruvo
Lecce: Rosati, Angelo (Schiavi 79), Fabiano, Terranova, Mazzotta, Munari, Giacomazzi, Vives, Mesbah (Loviso 85), Marilungo (Di Michele 71), Corvia
Ref: Morganti
Attendance: 4,555

Gallipoli 2-2 Grosseto
In an entertainig game between two in form sides, Gallipoli went two ahead but then found themselves without their boss at half time. Giannini was sent off after contesting the referee's decision to award Grosseto a penalty just before the break. In the second half Grosseto worked their way up and managed to equalise. It was end to end until injury time but, ultimately, it finished all square.
Scorers: Volpato 10 (Ga), Scaglia 27 (Ga), Pinilla 45 pen (Gr), Esposito 54 (Gr)
Sent off: Franchini 45 (Ga), Grandoni 90 (Gr)
Attendance: To follow

Mantova 0-0 Ascoli
The scoreline accurately reflects the content of the game, as there was only really one chance throughout the 90 minutes. It fell to Pellicori, who was clear on goal from a long ball forward, but failed to make decent contact.
Mantova: Handanovic, Lambrughi, Salviato, Rizzi, Notari, Caridi (Tarana 83), Locatelli, Carrus, Nicco, Mondini (Spinale 59), Nassi (Passoni 70)
Ascoli: Guarna, Portin, Giallombardo, Micolucci, Gazzola, Sommese (Ciofani 46), Di Donato, Luci, Giorgi, Bernacci, Antenucci (Lupoli 90)
Ref: Pinzani
Attendance: 5,012

Modena 1-0 Salernitana
The Canarini got the points to remain in the top seven, but it was a struggle against rock bottom Salernitana. Bruno cracked a first half effort against the upright, while the visitors forced saves with Bastrini and Merino. The turning point came when Jadid was brought down for a penalty converted by Pinardi, though Bruno was again denied by the woodwork in stoppages.
Scorers: Pinardi 70 (M)
Modena: Narciso, Perna, Rickler, Diagouraga, Cortellini, Luisi, Troiano, Giampà, Pinardi (Bianco 77), Bruno, Napoli (Girardi 67)
Salernitana: Polito, Bastrini, Balestri, Kyriazis, Peccarisi, Soligo, Jadid, Merino (Cozza 81), Montervino, Dionisi (Caputo 64), Fava
Ref: Doveri
Attendance: 4,999

Piacenza 1-0 Padova
Piacenza struggled to get the better of Padova, but after Greco's free kick went close, Moscardelli finally snatched a late winner. This result allows the home side to leapfrog their rivals in the danger zone.
Scorers: Moscardelli 75 (Pi)
Piacenza: Puggioni, Rincon De Castro, Melinte (Capogrosso 71), Tonucci, Zammuto, Amodio, Sivakov (Graffiedi 58), Paro, Guerra (Sambugaro 84), Cani, Moscardelli
Padova: Agliardi, Cesar, Gasparetto, Giovannini, Renzetti, Bonaventura (Rabito 79), Jidayi (Soncin 85), Italiano, Morosini (Patrascu 84), Vantaggiato, Di Nardo
Ref: Giannoccaro
Attendance: 2,951

Torino 1-1 Brescia
Toro fought back with 10 men to earn a draw with fellow struggling big club Brescia. These sides have gone through bad times this season and changed management, but it was Brescia who took the lead when Possanzini knocked a free kick down for Capocannoniere Caracciolo’s tap-in. Just six minutes later it went from bad to worse for the Grananta, who saw Rivalta sent off for a last man foul on Caracciolo. Despite playing for over an hour with a man down, Torino equalised straight after the restart with Bianchi’s 14th goal of the season, an inspired backheel flick from Garofalo’s cross.
Scorers: Caracciolo 21 (B), Bianchi 46 (T)
Sent off: Rivalta 27 (T)
Torino: Sereni; D'Ambrosio, Rivalta, Ogbonna, Garofalo; Leon (Antonelli 78), Genevier (Barusso 66), Pestrin, Gasbarroni; Bianchi, Pià (Zoboli 35)
Brescia: Arcari; De Maio, Bega, Berardi; Zambelli (Rispoli 87), Baiocco, Budel, Cordova (Hetemaj 70), Dallamano (Lopez 70); Possanzini, Caracciolo
Ref: Russo
Attendance: 12,330

Triestina 0-1 Sassuolo
Sassuolo keep up the pace with joint leaders Lecce thanks to this impressive away victory. Triestina can feel hard done by, as they had most of the possession, but were unable to make the most of it. Instead a free kick was deflected into the path of Quadrini for a stunning 30-metre screamer that ricocheted in off the underside of the bar.
Scorers: Quadrini 38 (S)
Triestina: Calderoni, Nef, Audel (Della Rocca 62), Cottafava, Scurto, Pit, Gorgone (Siligardi 76), Pani, Testini, Pasquato, Godeas
Sassuolo: Bressan, Polenghi, Bianco, Rossini, Minelli, Magnanelli, Salvetti (Piccioni 77), Riccio, Quadrini (Valeri 59), Martinetti, Noselli (Masucci 65)
Ref: Rocchi
Attendance: 5,923

Vicenza 3-1 Reggina
Reggina slide into penultimate place with their 12th defeat of the season, as Vicenza get back on track. The Amaranto had the opportunity to go in front after 10 minutes when Martinelli brought down Castiglia, but the player's weak penalty was saved by Fortin. Reggina fell to pieces with two goals conceded in 120 seconds from Di Cesare's stop and volley and a Litteri tap-in. Brienza got them back in it just past the hour mark thanks to a long-range strike, but Sgrigna finished off their hopes of a comeback.
Scorers: Di Cesare 30 (V), Litteri 32 (V), Brienza 64 (R), Sgrigna 72 (V)
Missed penalty: Castiglia 10 (R)
Vicenza: Fortin, Ferri, Martinelli, Giosa, Di Cesare, Gavazzi, Madonna (Signori 77), Braiati, Botta, Litteri (Brivio 70), Sgrigna (Margiotta 84)
Reggina: Fiorillo, Vigiani, Tedesco, Valdez Suarez, Lanzaro (Missiroli 54), Carmona, Castiglia (Brienza 48), Cascione, Rizzato, Pagano (Cacia 65), Bonazzoli
Ref: Tozzi
Attendance: 6,671

Source: http://www.football-italia.net/breps24.html

[juventino_italiano]