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Brescia relegated to Serie C after points deduction, Sampdoria in relegation play-off

Brescia relegated to Serie C after points deduction, Sampdoria in relegation play-off

New York Times4 days ago

Brescia have been relegated to Italy's Serie C after being deducted four points for financial irregularities, meaning Sampdoria will now take part in a relegation play-off game, despite finishing the season in the relegation places.
Frosinone, who were originally scheduled to play Salernitana in the play-off on May 19, move up one place as a result of Brescia's docked points and are now safe from relegation.
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Three teams are relegated automatically from Serie B, with 16th and 17th contesting a relegation play-off.
The Italian football watchdog has been investigating financial irregularities at Brescia, throwing the conclusion of the Serie B season into chaos. The investigation was related to an irregularity in their payment of salaries and tax contributions in February.
Covisoc — Italian football's supervisory body — informed the league of the investigation five days after the conclusion of the regular season and the play-off was postponed amid the uncertainty.
Brescia originally finished 15th in Serie B on 43 points. Having been found to have breached the rules, their four-point deduction takes them into 18th and into the automatic relegation places.
This moves previously-relegated Sampdoria into the relegation play-off, where they will take on Salernitana, and guarantees Frosinone's Serie B safety.
Sampdoria have never played outside the top two divisions of Italian football in their 79-year history.
Brescia have also been handed a four-point penalty for the 2025-26 season.
Brescia most recently played in Serie A in 2019-20 and are owned by former Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino, who, alongside his son and board member Edoardo, have been handed a sixth-month ban.
Following the announcement of the investigation, Brescia released a statement reading: '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.'
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