Serie A scraps play-offs
Wednesday 1 June, 2005
Parma-Bologna looks set to be the last relegation play-off in the top flight, as from next season there are also changes on artificial pitches and suspensions.
The current set-up in Serie A and B rules that if two teams finish the campaign level on points, a two-legged play-off is decreed to decide who gets the place.
If more than two sides are locked together, then a mini-League is drawn up of their results against each other throughout the season. This is what happened last week, as Fiorentina, Parma and Bologna all concluded on 42 points, but the Viola’s record against the other two was the best, so they escaped the play-off.
Today the Lega Calcio agreed that from next term the mini-League would be used to decide who is relegated without the need for another match. So, for example, had that rule been implemented this season, Parma would’ve gone straight down to Serie B as their record against the other two was the worst. Goal difference will continue to count for nothing.
“There is not enough room in the football calendar to fit two play-off games in anymore,” explained Lega Calcio Vice-President Maurizio Zamparini.
There will also be other changes to the rule-book. Artificial pitches will be accepted in the top flight, while matches suspended due to increment weather or other unavoidable causes will be resumed from the same minute and scoreline rather than replayed in their entirety.
Wednesday 1 June, 2005
Parma-Bologna looks set to be the last relegation play-off in the top flight, as from next season there are also changes on artificial pitches and suspensions.
The current set-up in Serie A and B rules that if two teams finish the campaign level on points, a two-legged play-off is decreed to decide who gets the place.
If more than two sides are locked together, then a mini-League is drawn up of their results against each other throughout the season. This is what happened last week, as Fiorentina, Parma and Bologna all concluded on 42 points, but the Viola’s record against the other two was the best, so they escaped the play-off.
Today the Lega Calcio agreed that from next term the mini-League would be used to decide who is relegated without the need for another match. So, for example, had that rule been implemented this season, Parma would’ve gone straight down to Serie B as their record against the other two was the worst. Goal difference will continue to count for nothing.
“There is not enough room in the football calendar to fit two play-off games in anymore,” explained Lega Calcio Vice-President Maurizio Zamparini.
There will also be other changes to the rule-book. Artificial pitches will be accepted in the top flight, while matches suspended due to increment weather or other unavoidable causes will be resumed from the same minute and scoreline rather than replayed in their entirety.
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