2021–22 Serie D Explained

Competition:Serie D
Season:2021–22
Dates:Regular season:
18 September 2021 – 15 May 2022
Winners:Recanatese (1st title)
Promoted:Novara
Sangiuliano City Nova
Arzignano
Rimini
San Donato Tavarnelle
Recanatese
Giugliano
Audace Cerignola
Gelbison
Torres
Relegated:RG Ticino
Imperia
Lavagnese
Saluzzo
Caravaggio
Brianza Olginatese
Vis Nova Giussano
Leon
Ambrosiana
Spinea
Cattolica
San Martino Speme
Sasso Marconi
Progresso
Borgo San Donnino
Tritium
Foligno
UniPomezia
Cannara
Pro Livorno
Castelfidardo
Castelnuovo Vomano
Nereto
Aurora Alto Casertano
Carbonia
Insieme Formia
Lanusei
Latte Dolce
Rotonda
San Giorgio
Bisceglie
Virtus Matino
Rende
Troina
Biancavilla
FC Messina (excluded)
Prevseason:2020–21
Nextseason:2022–23

The 2021–22 Serie D was the seventy-third season of the top level Italian non-professional football championship. It represents the fourth tier in the Italian football league system.

Rules

The season will provide a total nine promotions to Serie C (those being the winners of all nine groups). Teams placed between second and fifth for each group will play a so-called "playoff tournament", starting with two one-legged games played at the best placed team's home venue:

In case of a draw by the end of the game, two extra times will be played; in case of no winner after that, the best-placed team will advance to the final.

The two winning teams will then play a one-legged final, to be hosted at the best placed team's home venue, with the same rules as in the first round. The nine playoff winners for each group will be prioritised to fill any potential Serie C league vacancies.[1]

The two bottom-placed teams for each league group are automatically relegated to Eccellenza. Two two-legged relegation playoff games (known in Italian as "play-out") will therefore be played between:

In case of an aggregate draw after the second leg, two extra times will be played; in case of further aggregate draw, the worst-placed team will be relegated.

In case the two teams will have a league gap of at least eight points, the relegation playoff will not take place and the worst-placed team will be automatically relegated instead.[2]

Teams

The composition of the league involves nine divisions, grouped geographically and named alphabetically.

Teams relegated from Serie C

Five teams were directly relegated from the 2020–21 Serie C: Fano, Ravenna, Arezzo, Bisceglie, Cavese.

Novara were admitted via Article 52 of N.O.I.F.

Casertana and Sambenedettese, originally excluded from Serie C, were later readmitted to Serie D by sentence of the Regional Administrative Court of Lazio.

Teams promoted from Eccellenza

The following teams were promoted from Eccellenza:[3]

Abruzzo
Apulia
Calabria
Campania
Emilia Romagna
Lazio
Liguria
Lombardy
Marche
Molise
Piedmont & Aosta Valley
Sardinia
Sicily
Trentino Alto Adige – Südtirol
Tuscany
Veneto

Changes during the season

On 15 December 2021, debt-ridden FC Messina was excluded from the league with immediate effect due to having failed to show up for two consecutive league games; as the exclusion happened before mid-season, all previous games involving the club were voided.[4]

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group E

Group F

Group G

Group H

Group I

Poule Scudetto

Group 1

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Group 2

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Group 3

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Final stage

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SERIE D: Il Regolamento e le date dei Play Off. Tuttocampo . it . 15 March 2022 . 1 May 2022 .
  2. Web site: Il regolamento dei Play Out. LND.it . it . 3 February 2022 . 1 May 2022 .
  3. Web site: Eccellenza: ecco le 24 squadre promosse in Serie D. Tuttocampo . it . 26 August 2021 . 30 June 2021 .
  4. Web site: it . Ora è ufficiale: Fc Messina estromesso dal campionato. Ammenda da 20.000 euro. 15 December 2021 . 15 December 2021 . Messina Sportiva .