Arezzo Secure Serie B Promotion After 19-Year Absence
Arezzo have secured promotion to Serie B after a 3-1 victory over Torres on the final day of the Serie C season, ending a 19-year absence from the second tier. The win, played in front of 8,000 fans at the Stadio Città di Arezzo, saw Cristian Bucchi's side clinch the Girone B title ahead of Ascoli on head-to-head record after the two clubs finished level on points. The decisive result, combined with a dramatic late win for Sambenedettese at Vis Pesaro, confirmed both Arezzo's rise and Torres's relegation to the playout round.
Matteo Tavernelli opened the scoring for Arezzo with a long-range strike in the first half, only for Torres's Di Stefano to equalize shortly after the break. Alessandro Arena restored the lead with a curled left-footed effort following a mazy run, and Simone Pattarello sealed the victory with a third goal deep into stoppage time. The triumph caps a remarkable campaign for Arezzo, who held their nerve under pressure to secure automatic promotion.
The outcome was a bitter disappointment for Ascoli, who won 1-0 away at Campobasso through a second-half goal from Nicola Gala but fell just short. Ascoli had mounted a stunning late-season charge with ten consecutive victories to erase a significant points deficit, but they will now have to contest the national phase of the playoffs for a second shot at promotion. According to the league's final standings, Ascoli enters the second round of the national playoff phase.
In other pivotal results from Girone B, Sambenedettese's extraordinary 3-2 win at Vis Pesaro, sealed with two goals in the final minutes from Francesco Lonardo, secured their safety and condemned Torres to a relegation playout against Bra. Pontedera were directly relegated following their loss to Livorno, while Juventus Next Gen achieved their highest-ever finish in fifth place.
In Girone C, the final day confirmed the direct relegation of Foggia, who lost 3-1 at home to Salernitana. Atalanta's Under-23 side drew 1-1 with Catania to clinch a playoff spot from eleventh position, having a superior overall goal difference over Altamura. Catania's late equalizer secured them second place in the group. Salernitana's victory cemented their third-place finish and a place in the national playoff first round.
The playoff picture is now set across the three groups. In Girone A, where Triestina, Pro Patria, and Virtus Verona were directly relegated, Brescia enters the national playoffs in the second round. The conclusion of the regular season sets the stage for a complex playoff structure to determine one more promotion spot to Serie B, while several clubs face the tension of survival playouts.
