The 2007–08 Serie D was the sixty edition of the top level Italian non-professional football championship. It represented the fifth tier in the Italian football league system.
It was composed by 162 teams divided into nine divisions of 18 teams each.
The regular Serie D season started September 2, 2007 and continued through to May 4, 2008 with each team playing 34 matches, two matches against every other team in the division. The nine division winners were automatically promoted to 2008–09 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, while the two last-placed teams were automatically relegated to Eccellenza.
After the regular season was completed, teams placed 13 through to 16 in each division played a double-leg series (13 vs 16, 14 vs 15) where the winners remained in Serie D the following season and the two losers were also relegated to Eccellenza for a total of 4 relegations in each division, 36 in total for the league.
The nine division winners entered a tournament to determine the over-all Serie D champion and was awarded the Scudetto Dilettanti.
Teams placed second through fifth in each division entered a play-off tournament after the regular season as well. The results of the play-offs provided a list, starting with the winner, by which vacancies could be filled in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, if teams in the professional leagues above Serie D run into financial difficulties or are penalized.
On March 30, 2008, Alessandria from Girone A and Isola Liri from Girone G were mathematically ensured of the Serie D title in their respective divisions five weeks before the end of the regular season, thus winning promotion to Serie C2.[1] To note, Isola Liri ensured a place in professional football for their first time. They were followed on April 13 by Girone D winners Figline,[2] on April 20 by Itala San Marco and Giacomense,[3] [4] on April 27 by fallen giants Como and Cosenza.[5] [6] On May 4 Sangiustese and Aversa Normanna won the last two remaining Serie C2 spots, winning their respective divisions just on the final matchday.[7] [8]
In addition to the nine division winners, the top five teams in the promotional play-offs also won promotion to Lega Pro Seconda Divisione to fill vacancies.
Thirty-six teams were destined to be relegated to Eccellenza for the 2008–09 season. The two last-placed teams from each of the nine divisions were directly relegated - 18 in total. Of the 18 teams that lost in the relegation play-offs, nine were eventually selected to remain in Serie D for the 2008–09 season in order to fill the vacancies created when nine extra teams were called up from Serie D to Serie C2, now called Lega Pro Seconda Divisione.
The nine vacancies in Serie C2 were created by the bankruptcies and other financial problems of nine teams in total that played in Serie B, C1 & C2 in 2007–08. As teams moved up to fill the void, nine spaces were left to be filled in Serie C2. As mentioned, five teams that played in Serie D in 2007–08 received extra promotions, while four teams initially relegated from C2 were called back.
After the 162-team list was set for the 2008–09 season, the league decided to place four of the nine financially troubled teams of the upper leagues in Serie D as well, resulting in a 166-team Serie D league for next season.
| Promoted - 1st place | Playoff Promotions | Relegated after playout | Directly relegated | Remains in D |
Teams from Lombardy, Piedmont &<br />Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
Teams from Veneto & Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Teams from Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna,
Marche & Umbria
Teams from Liguria, Tuscany & Umbria
Teams from Marche, Umbria, Abruzzo &<br />Molise
Teams from Lazio & Sardinia
Teams from Campania, Apulia & Basilicata
Teams from Campania, Calabria & Sicily
All teams promoted to 2008–09 Serie C2, now called Lega Pro Seconda Divisione
| Division | Winners | |
|---|---|---|
| Alessandria | ||
| Como | ||
| Itala San Marco | ||
| Giacomense | ||
| Figline | ||
| Sangiustese | ||
| Isola Liri | ||
| Aversa Normanna | ||
| Cosenza |
| Como (B) | 2–3 | Itala San Marco (C) | played May 11, 2008 | |
| Alessandria (A) | 0–3 | Como (B) | played May 14, 2008 | |
| Itala San Marco (C) | 1–1 | Alessandria (A) | played May 18, 2008 |
| Giacomense (D) | 1–2 | Sangiustese (F) | played May 11, 2008 | |
| Figline (E) | 2–2 | Giacomense (D) | played May 14, 2008 | |
| Sangiustese (F) | 0–0 | Figline (E) | played May 18, 2008 |
| Aversa Normanna (H) | 3–0 | Isola Liri (G) | played May 11, 2008 | |
| Isola Liri (G) | 1–1 | Fortitudo Cosenza (I) | played May 14, 2008 | |
| Fortitudo Cosenza (I) | 4–3 | Aversa Normanna (H) | played May 18, 2008 |
First legs played May 25, 2008; return legs played June 1, 2008
Played June 9, 2008 in Tolentino, Marche
Winners: Aversa Normanna (H)
| Armando Picchi (E4) | 1–2 | Sambonifacese (C3) | played May 25, 2008 | |
| P.B. Vercelli (A3) | 0–0 | Armando Picchi (E4 | played May 28, 2008 | |
| Sambonifacese (C3) | 2–0 | P.B. Vercelli (A3) | played June 1, 2008 |
| Montichiari (D2) | 3–1 | Bacoli Sibilla (I2) | played May 25, 2008 | |
| Bacoli Sibilla (I2) | 2–2 | Tritium (B2) | played May 28, 2008 | |
| Tritium (B2) | 2–2 | Montichiari (D2) | played June 1, 2008 |
| Barletta (H2) | 0–0 | Alghero (G4) | played May 25, 2008 | |
| Renato Curi Angolana (F2) | 0–1 | Barletta (H2) | played May 28, 2008 | |
| Alghero (G4) | 2–1 | Renato Curi (F2) | played June 1, 2008 |
First legs played June 8, 2008; return legs played June 14 & 15, 2008
Played June 22, 2008 in Carpi, P. of Modena
Due to vacancies created in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, the following five teams were ultimately promoted to play there for the 2008–09 season.
Girone C - 12th–13th place - played May 11, 2008
Sandonà forced to play in relegation playoffs
Played May 18 & 25, 2008
In case of aggregate tie score, higher classified team wins
Team highlighted in green saved, other is relegated to Eccellenza