Serie B: 20 teams competing for the "Nexus Cup"

The 93rd edition of the Serie B tournament begins today, Friday, August 16, with the evening match between Brescia and Palermo. As usual, the top two teams will be promoted to Serie A, while the third promotion spot will be determined through the playoffs.

Twenty teams will compete for the coveted "Nexus Cup," which replaced the "Ali della Vittoria" trophy starting from the 2021/22 season. Many of Italy's most passionate football cities are involved, with millions of fans dreaming of Serie A. The calendar includes four midweek rounds, two evening and two daytime. The Serie B League has once again confirmed matchdays on December 26, 2024, and May 1, 2025.

Season dates:

Start of the Championship: Friday, August 16
Midweek rounds: August 27, October 29, December 26, and May 1
Breaks: September 7-8, October 12-13, November 16-17, March 22-23, 2025
End of the Championship (final day): Friday, May 9, 2025
The winter break is scheduled from December 30, 2024, to January 11, 2025.

Teams returning from the previous season:

Bari
Catanzaro
Brescia
Cremonese
Cittadella
Cosenza
Modena
Palermo
Pisa
Reggiana
Sampdoria
Spezia
Sudtirol

Promoted from Serie C:

Carrarese
Cesena
Juve Stabia
Mantova

Relegated from Serie A:

Frosinone
Sassuolo
Salernitana

This championship is known for being one of the most unpredictable. The economic gap with Serie A automatically makes the relegated teams from the top league the implicit favorites for promotion, barring any unusual circumstances.

However, some teams have long-term technical programs in place, which could make them ready for the jump. Last year, it was Como's turn, and this upcoming season seems to have Palermo as one of the leading contenders.

This dynamic of "ups and downs" makes predictions very difficult. Among the top six favorites are the aforementioned Palermo and the three freshly relegated teams: Sassuolo, Salernitana, and Frosinone. Additionally, two other historic clubs in Italian football, Cremonese and Sampdoria, must be included in this group.

Andrea Pirlo, coach of Sampdoria, will face his former national teammate Fabio Grosso, who has been given the Sassuolo bench. The Doriani come from a difficult season, especially from a corporate standpoint, but Andrea Pirlo's work brought the team to the playoffs, and this could be the right year for their return to Serie A. Cremonese, relegated from Serie A at the end of the 2022/23 season, came close to an immediate return, only losing in the playoff final to Venezia.

Here is the complete schedule for the first round of Serie B: