Arezzo Secure Promotion to Serie B After 19-Year Absence
Arezzo have secured promotion to Serie B, marking their return to the second tier after a 19-year absence. The Serie C club sealed the achievement with a 3-1 victory over Torres in front of 8,000 spectators at the Stadio Città di Arezzo on Friday, pipping rivals Ascoli to the top spot in their group on the final day of the regular season.
The decisive win, orchestrated by coach Cristian Bucchi, saw goals from Tommaso Tavernelli, Alessandro Arena, and Filippo Pattarelli. The result rendered Ascoli's simultaneous 1-0 away win at Campobasso irrelevant, as Arezzo held the advantage in the head-to-head record. The promotion concludes a remarkable campaign for the Tuscan side, who have spent nearly two decades oscillating between Serie C1 and the lower divisions.
The triumph also carried significant consequences for their opponents. According to reports from the match, Torres's defeat, coupled with Sambenedettese's dramatic late win elsewhere, consigned the Sardinian club to the relegation playouts, where they will face Bra. For Arezzo, the focus now shifts to preparing for a competitive Serie B landscape, a significant step up in quality and exposure.
Meanwhile, Ascoli's ten-match winning streak, which had seen them claw back a 12-point deficit, ultimately proved insufficient. They will enter the national phase of the Serie C playoffs as the group's second-placed team, still harboring hopes of securing a promotional place. Juventus Next Gen recorded their best-ever finish by securing fifth place in the same group.
In the wider context of Serie C's other groups, the playoff picture has now solidified. In Girone B, Campobasso enters at the second round, while Ravenna and Ascoli enter the national phase. In Girone A, Brescia finished as runners-up and will enter the national playoff stage, while Triestina and Pro Patria suffered direct relegation.
