It has been over a century since Italian writer Gabriele d’Annunzio first referred to the complex hosting Pisa’s iconic Leaning Tower and its cathedral as Prato dei Miracoli, the meadow of miracles.

Bar a sight change, the moniker stuck and the area, which is formally known as Piazza del Duomo, has been known as Campo dei Miracoli, the field of miracles, ever since.

Ten minutes down the road, the Arena Garibaldi is a brutalist yang to the Leaning Tower’s artistic yin but has become Pisa’s field of miracles in a footballing sense this season.

The Tuscans’ 1-0 defeat by Bari on Sunday proved immaterial as Spezia’s slip-up at Reggiana left Filippo Inzaghi’s men nine points clear of their rivals in third place. With just two matches left to play they have now clinched automatic promotion to Serie A, marking their return to the top flight for the first time in 34 years.

Sunday’s results also meant Sassuolo were confirmed as champions before they kicked off against Cremonese in the late game. For most of the season Pisa have been the only team capable of challenging them – that they did not last the distance says more about the Neroverdi’s qualities then their own shortcomings.

Sassuolo’s performances this season come as no shock. Widely tipped for promotion in the summer due to their significantly stronger and deeper squad, Fabio Grosso’s team overcame a slightly sluggish start to meet those expectations, brushing aside most opponents in their quest for an immediate return to Serie A.

Conversely, Pisa’s promotion challenge was a genuine surprise, coming as it did after they finished 13th last term with a negative goal difference, just five points clear of the relegation zone.

Even when the Tuscans led the table for three months until the end of November, common wisdom suggested they would run out of steam. But run out of steam they have not. 

They have never been outside the top three, save for their draw against Spezia on the opening day. Four consecutive wins followed as Pisa set their stall out early and it was not until March that they lost two league games on the bounce.

That those defeats came against Sassuolo and Spezia, and both by a single goal, speaks volumes for the fine margins in Serie B. When the wobble came, Pisa answered in emphatic fashion and rattled off five wins in the next six fixtures.

For staying the course, enormous credit must go to Inzaghi.

A livewire act on the touchline as much as he was on the pitch in his playing days, SuperPippo has radiated zen-like calm off it throughout the season.

Inzaghi batted down suggestions Pisa were running away with automatic promotion to keep his players grounded, just as he dismissed concerns over the Nerazzurri’s mettle after a run of one win and three defeats in five games from early February.

And promotion is vindication for the former AC Milan and Juventus striker, whose coaching career has ebbed and flowed.

Promotions with Venezia and Benevento were offset by disappointing spells at Milan, Bologna and Salernitana, but Inzaghi looks to have matured as a manager.

“I have almost 350 games now as a professional coach and clearly you are always learning something because there is always something to learn,” he told Sky Sports in January.

“I think a coach must evolve and grow over time to succeed.”

Inzaghi has certainly done that.

From the beginning of the season, Pisa’s colours have been firmly tied to the mast of counter-attacking football in his 3-4-1-2 formation and the results have been spectacular.

Heading into matchday 36 with 59 goals, the Tuscans had the second-most prolific attack in Serie B behind Sassuolo, despite losing last season’s top scorer Mattia Valoti, who returned to Monza after his loan spell ended.

An insatiable marksman in his playing days, SuperPippo has adopted a different approach as a manager, with goals shared across his team. 

Matteo Tramoni, by some distance Pisa’s player of the season, has 14 to his name, while summer signing Alexander Lind and Stefano Moreo have scored seven and six goals respectively.

Idrissa Toure and Gabriele Piccinini, meanwhile, have chipped in with five and four of their own from midfield.

Attacking impetus has not come to the detriment of defensive solidity, with Pisa conceding the second-fewest goals in Serie B behind Spezia.

With 12 clean sheets, Adrian Semper has kept the joint most in the division along with Spezia’s Stefano Gori, Carrarese’s Marco Bleve and Bari’s Brosi Radunovic.

Under Inzaghi, Pisa have become adept at winning in different ways. 

They beat Sassuolo 3-1 on Boxing Day with an attacking display, while their 2-1 victory in Palermo a month later was built on a superb defensive effort.

Success on the pitch has come off the back of Alexander Knaster’s significant investment off it.

Pisa spent over €12m (£10m) on players in the summer, with Lind joining for €4m from Danish top-flight club Silkeborg and Semper signing from Como for €2.5m.

Mehdi Leris arrived from Stoke City for €3m, but his season was curtailed by an ACL injury in September. 

Pisa turned to the loan market in January, signing Denmark Under-21 international Henrik Meister, who scored the winner against Frosinone last week, from Rennes. 

Fellow loanees Markus Solbakken, meanwhile, arrived from Sparta Prague and Leonardo Sernicola from Cremonese.

Yet Knaster’s spending is not limited to the transfer window.

Four years after the American purchased a 75 percent stake in the Nerazzurri, the city council is working to sell the Arena Garibaldi to the club and plans for a new training centre have also been approved.

Opened in 1919, the Garibaldi is showing its 106 years and its facilities are outdated even by Serie B standards, a league where progress moves at a glacial pace.

A major facelift will be required ahead of a first Serie A campaign in 34 years, but Pisa have done the hard bit on the pitch.