Seria B
2021-2022|
Lecce
|
Cremonese
|
Monza
|
Pisa
|
Brescia
|
Ascoli
|
Benevento
|
Frosinone
|
Perugia
|
Ternana
|
Cittadella
|
Parma
|
Reggina
|
como
|
Spal
|
Nuova Cosenza
|
Alessandria
|
Vicenza Virtus
|
Crotone
|
Pordenone
|
||
| 1 | Lecce | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | |
| 2 | Cremonese | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | |
| 3 | Monza | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | |
| 4 | Pisa | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | |
| 5 | Brescia | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | |
| 6 | Ascoli | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |
| 7 | Benevento | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 5–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 4–3 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | |
| 8 | Frosinone | 0–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | |
| 9 | Perugia | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | |
| 10 | Ternana | 1–4 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 4–4 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
| 11 | Cittadella | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 1–0 | |
| 12 | Parma | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | |
| 13 | Reggina | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | |
| 14 | como | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | |
| 15 | Spal | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 5–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | |
| 16 | Nuova Cosenza | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | |
| 17 | Alessandria | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | |
| 18 | Vicenza Virtus | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | |
| 19 | Crotone | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 4–1 | |
| 20 | Pordenone | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 |
| Player | Club | Position | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The second-highest division of Italy is called Serie B. In the second division, there is no less intense struggle than in the main tournament of Italy. In Serie B, as well as in Serie A, 20 teams participate. These clubs do not participate in the competition for European Cup places. Their main task is to reach the top 4 at the end of the regular season. The top four of the Serie B standings participate in the fight for promotion in the class. Now let’s analyse the structure of the championship, the policy and the favourites of the 2021/2022 season.
Participants
The Serie B 2021/2022 season will take place from 20 August 2021 to 6 May 2022. 20 teams take part in the second division of Italy. The full list of tournament participants is as follows:
- Alessandria
- Ascoli
- Benevento
- Brescia
- Vicenza
- Cosenza
- Como
- Cremonese
- Crotone
- Lecce
- Monza
- Parma
- Perugia
- Pisa
- Pordenone
- Reggina
- SPAL
- Ternana
- Frosinone
- Cittadella
There are seven new teams in the Serie B standings. Following the results of the 2020/2021 season, Como, Perugia, Ternana and Alessandria gained promotion. The teams were promoted from Serie C. Virtus Entella, Pescara, Reggiana and Chievo took their places in the third division. Benevento, Crotone and Parma got relegated from the elite division to Serie B.
During the regular season, each club will play one home game and one road game with each of the opponents. There are a total of 38 rounds consisting of ten games, or 380 matches in the tournament. The schedule and results of all matches, as well as player stats, can be found on the official website of Serie B.
Tournament policy
The regular season determines the champion, the teams participating in the play-offs for promotion and relegation, and the clubs that get directly relegated.
A three-point scoring system is applied in Serie B. Three points are scored for a win, one for a draw and zero for a defeat. Based on the results of all rounds, the points scored are summed up, and the teams are placed from highest to lowest total score in the standings. In case of equality of points, additional criteria for determining the leader are used. There are five criteria in total. They are listed in descending order:
- head-to-head results, i.e. the number of points scored;
- goal difference in head-to-head duels;
- goal difference in the championship;
- the number of goals scored;
- the draw.
First, head-to-head results are considered. In case of two draws or an exchange of winnings, other criteria are taken into account following the descending order.
Three clubs of Serie B get promotion. The champion and vice-champion go directly to Serie A. The last ticket will be played by the team from 3rd to 8th places. The bronze medallist plays in the semi-finals with the winner of teams taking 7th and 8th places, and the fourth club plays with the strongest team that wins the duel between 5th and 6th places. The winners of the semi-finals play a two-round final. Teams from 18th to 20th places get relegated. The clubs that finished on the 16th and 17th lines play in the play-offs for the right to remain in the second division.
Favourites/outsiders
The second-highest football division of Italy has its own features. Here gathered the teams with modest budgets. This leads to an abundance of young players in the club line-ups, which in turn makes the tournament unpredictable for game predictions. There are also many older players from ex-stars. Buffon plays for Parma, Glik for Benevento and a number of other senior footballers play in the teams. Main news of the league is available on the official Serie B website and club accounts.
The list of favourites of Serie B includes:
- Parma;
- Benevento;
- Monza;
- Crotone;
- Brescia;
- Lecce.
Lecce and Brescia ended the last season in the play-offs. Benevento, Parma and Crotone played last season in Serie A.
Among the main outsiders of the second division of the Italian championship are the debutant teams: Ternana, Alessandria and Como. Ascoli and Cosenza have not the highest chances of maintaining their positions.
The chances of teams in the fight for places in the standings are directly influenced by the transfer fee of the players. The most expensive club in Serie B is Parma. Its cost is €89.5 million, which is more than the total cost of the eight cheapest teams in the tournament. The three most expensive clubs are Parma, Monza, and Brescia. Three cheapest clubs are Cittadella, Perugia, and Cosenza.
Main betting trends
In Serie B, home games have a big impact on the teams' results. Even outsiders in home matches regularly beat stronger opponents. If we consider the average win rate, it is more than 50% in home matches, and it often does not reach 25% in road games.
The second feature is low performance. In Serie A the teams score a lot, but in Serie B the teams score a few. In the 2020/2021 season, the leader of the tournament, Empoli, scored 1.7 goals per game. This is the best performance in the entire league. The league average is 2.4 goals. In the 2020/2021 season, only 40% of matches ended with Over 2.5.
