Italian football’s summer of chaos takes another twist, as CONI effectively rules Virtus Entella should be in Serie B – after they’ve already played in Serie C.
The lower leagues have been in complete turmoil, with Serie B reduced to 19 teams after the bankruptcies of Avellino, Bari and Cesena.
That is still being appealed by Pro Vercelli and Ternana, and it’s still possible that the season could be halted until appeals can be held on September 28.
Italian football’s summer of chaos takes another twist, as CONI effectively rules Virtus Entella should be in Serie B – after they’ve already played in Serie C.
The lower leagues have been in complete turmoil, with Serie B reduced to 19 teams after the bankruptcies of Avellino, Bari and Cesena.
That is still being appealed by Pro Vercelli and Ternana, and it’s still possible that the season could be halted until appeals can be held on September 28.
Serie B has already started with 19 teams, with one team getting a rest each round, but it could yet be expanded back to 22.
The TAR in Lazio hasn’t helped matters, issuing two contradictory rulings on the case.
Now CONI’s Collegio di Garanzia dello Sport has “recognised the legitimacy” of an appeal by Virtus Entella.
Cesena were deducted 15 points for false accounting in a case which also affected Chievo, but it was applied to the 2018-19 season.
Given they then went bankrupt, it had no material affect.
Entella argued that the punishment should have been applied for 2017-18, and if it had been they’d have stayed up.
They appealed to the Collegio di Garanzia dello Sport for justice, and a ruling was passed down yesterday evening.
CONI has found in their favour, which logically should mean that Entella are reinstated to Serie B.
However, they’ve already won their first Serie C game of the season away at Gozzano, so that would affect the legitimacy of the third tier.
In addition, Cesena are bankrupt and can’t simply be replaced by Virtus Entella – unless Serie B is returned to 22 teams.
Week 4 of Serie B is scheduled to be played this weekend, and the Lega Serie B insists it will be, but there's really no way of knowing if that will happen.
CONI, which oversees all Italian sport, is still trying to halt the league while the various legal issues are worked out.