Sampdoria live to fight another day in Serie B after Salernitana slipped into the third tier and the saga that was the relegation play-out finally drew to a close in typically controversial circumstances.

A month later than scheduled, a line was drawn under the 2024-25 season when the second leg of the relegation play-out was suspended due to trouble in the stands, with Samp’s 2-0 lead giving them a 4-0 aggregate advantage.

In mid-May Samp were down. Now, they are not. But so much has happened in between, including appeals, points deductions, postponements and one club, Brescia, going bankrupt. There was also an outbreak of food poisoning, flares and chairs thrown on to the Arechi pitch and a match abandoned with 25 minutes to go.

We have just about managed to keep on top of it, so scroll down to find out how the post-season drama unfolded in calcio‘s second division.

Tuesday May 13 – The regular season comes to an end with the rearranged matches from week 34, which were postponed following the death of Pope Francis. After a frenetic 90 minutes where the picture changes multiple times, already-relegated Cosenza are joined by Cittadella and Sampdoria in dropping down. The Venetians lose 2-0 at home to Salernitana, who move out of the bottom three and into the play-out. As for Samp, they can only draw 0-0 at Juve Stabia to end a miserable campaign on the lowest of notes – falling into the third tier for the first time in their 79-year history.

Salernitana and Frosinone are left facing a two-legged shootout to stay in the division while Brescia finish the season safe in 15th place, on the same points as Frosinone, after beating Reggiana.

Wednesday May 14 – As the dust settles on Sampdoria’s crashing fall, the club release a statement branding relegation to Serie C “one of the most painful and significant moments in the history of UC Sampdoria”.

The statement goes on: “The season was marked by poor choices, mistakes and dynamics that we were unable to correct in time. Our first thoughts go to our fans. To those who, at home and away, have continued to support these colours with passion and belonging. Disappointing them is what hurts the most. Our most sincere apologies go to them.”

Poor choices is key here. Going through four managers in a season is never a healthy look. Andrea Pirlo was the man in charge last August, Alberico Evani was there at the end, while Andrea Sottil and Leonardo Semplici had spells. Between the four of them they managed eight wins, 17 draws and 13 losses.

The statement finishes with the line: “Getting back up won’t be easy. But it’s the only possible direction. We owe it to our history, to our city and to every person who loves this shirt.”

Thursday May 15 / Friday May 16 – For Salernitana and Frosinone, attention turns to their play-out first leg, scheduled for Monday May 19.

The shockwaves following Sampdoria’s relegation are being felt across the world and the story is covered far and wide. Closer to home, Genoa fans are revelling in the demise of their city rivals on social media.

Saturday May 17 – Genoa’s home clash with Atalanta finishes 3-2 to the visitors after Mateo Retegui scores a last-gasp winner, making it six games without a victory for the Rossoblu. But their supporters still have plenty to celebrate. Just before the game starts, a banner appears with ‘Manfredi and Radrizzani, thank you’ on it. This is a jibe at the banner Samp fans unfurled two years ago, thanking and welcoming Matteo Manfredi and Andrea Radrizzani when they took over the club. A tifo display from the Genoa faithful simply says ‘ciao’ and there is a letter C, a nod to the third tier, in Sampdoria colours.

At the other end of the table, Juve Stabia and Catanzaro keep their hopes alive of reaching Serie A with play-off preliminary round wins over Palermo and Cesena respectively.

Sunday May 18 – The earthquake. Lega Serie B announce the postponement of the Salernitana vs Frosinone play-out (scheduled for May 19 and 26) following a Federal Prosecutor’s Office investigation into alleged irregularities in the payments of salaries and tax contributions by Brescia, dating back to February.

While no official announcement on the punishment is made, there is speculation that it could be a four-point deduction, meaning Brescia would be below Sampdoria in the table. That would put Sampdoria into the play-out with Salernitana and leave Frosinone safe.

Brescia release their own statement. It reads: “Following the press reports that emerged today and the notice of conclusion of the investigation received from the FIGC for alleged irregularities in payments, Brescia Calcio Spa announces that it will appeal to any sporting venue and, if necessary, extra-sporting venue, to protect its position believing that it has correctly fulfilled the federal deadlines and acted in accordance with state and sporting regulations.”

Salernitana CEO Maurizio Milan releases a statement soon after the announcement, questioning the decision. He says: “It is clear that it would have been more correct, in our opinion, to regularly play the play-outs and then wait for any developments from the matter involving Brescia. We are certain that the postponement has no legal basis because we are not in the presence of formal or definitive sanctions.”

Monday May 19 – Game day with no game. Salernitana are back in training but there is still no official word on what happens next.

Wednesday May 21 – Sportitalia report that a Sampdoria-Salernitana play-out could be scheduled for some time in June and there is also talk that Serie B could have 21 or 22 teams next season rather than 20.

At the other end of the table Spezia and Cremonese enter the play-off picture. In the first leg of the semi-finals, Spezia beat Catanzaro 2-0 while Cremonese go down 2-1 to Juve Stabia.

Thursday May 22 – Sampdoria fans are clinging on to hope of avoiding the drop to the third tier. Club chief Matteo Manfredi tells Sky: “The play-outs? It’s a question of dignity. If Brescia’s situation is confirmed, playing the play-out is a necessary consequence. Sampdoria certifies a failed situation from which we must start again, whoever takes the field must do so first and foremost for personal dignity, for the shirt and for their professionalism.

“We will register for the championship, Serie B or Serie C. After that, Sampdoria, like many other teams trying to get back on track, must invest. To win on Sunday, a football club must invest. This is our duty and we owe it to our fans: we must continue to invest and make more courageous, more serious and more concrete choices.”

Sunday May 25 – At the top, Cremonese turn the tie against the Stabians, winning 3-0 to set up a final showdown with Spezia, who are 4-1 aggregate winners against Catanzaro.

Thursday May 29 – Finally, official word that Brescia will indeed be handed a four-point penalty, relegating them to the third tier, throwing Sampdoria into the play-out with Salernitana and saving Frosinone. Brescia will also be deducted four points next season as part of the punishment.

Brescia confirm they will appeal. The play-out will not take place until after that is heard. June 12 is pencilled in for the hearing and June 15 for the first leg of the play-out.

Brescia president Massimo Cellino and his son, director Edoardo, are banned for six months.

On the pitch, Spezia and Cremonese play out a goalless draw in Cremona and will meet again in La Spezia with 90 minutes to decide who will be stepping up to Serie A.

Friday May 30 – Destination Calcio sums up Brescia’s position with this explainer, which also tells how 700 of their ultras took to the streets to protest against owner Cellino.

Sunday June 1 – The team that is saved when all of this is over will have two Serie B games against Spezia in 2025-26. Cremonese win their clash at the Picco 3-2 to claim the final promotion place.

Thursday June 5 – Serie B play-out dates are confirmed for June 15 and June 20.

Friday June 6 – The Brescia bombshell and a sad day for calcio. Italian media break the news that 114 years of history is being wiped out with Brescia going bankrupt after failing to pay debts of more than £2.5million. This is the club that star names such as Andrea Pirlo, Roberto Baggio, Pep Guardiola, Luca Toni and Mario Balotelli turned out for.

Saturday June 7 – On the field, the remaining issues are getting tied up after Pescara book their place in the second tier for next season. They held their nerve in a penalty shootout after their two-legged play-off with Ternana went all the way. They join Serie C group winners Padova, Virtus Entella and Avellino in moving up.

Wednesday June 11 – Serie B confirm that Sampdoria and Salernitana will be the teams in the play-out despite an appeal from the Salerno outfit.

Sampdoria make a move to get the fans behind them for their home leg on June 15 by offering tickets to season ticket holders for €1. There will also be tickets available for €2.50 and €5 for the clash at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Genoa fans try to hi-jack the ticket sales and buy some under false names, such as Massimo Ferrero and Mbaye Niang, in an attempt to leave empty seats in the stadium. Sampdoria cancel the transactions.

Sunday June 15 – It’s advantage Samp after a 2-0 home win in the first leg of the play-out. Melle Meulensteen and Marco Curto score before the hosts’ Fabio Borini and Salernitana’s Petar Stojanović receive red cards late on.

Monday June 16 – Another day, another drama. Salernitana submit a request to the league to have the second leg postponed due to an outbreak of food poisoning that left 21 people, including players and staff, unwell and some hospitalised on their return from Genoa. Monday’s training is cancelled.

Salernitana CEO says: “We are sincerely shocked by what happened and by the series of events that risk undermining Salernitana’s regular and peaceful approach to the final and fundamental minutes of the season. We have already interfaced informally with the Lega Serie B, receiving a general openness to evaluate our requests.

“Many players and staff, at the moment, are not even able to show up at the sports center to resume training and we trust in the availability of the responsible bodies so that this serious situation can be taken into account and, at the same time, ascertain the causes of this widespread and serious episode.”

Tuesday June 17 – The request for a postponement is granted with the second leg pushed back 48 hours to Sunday June 22, kicking off at 8.30pm local time (7.30pm UK time).

Thursday June 19 – The latest appeal from Salernitana, about blocking the play-out and potentially expanding Serie B to 21 teams, is officially rejected by Tribunale Federale Nazionale.

The good news for the Salerno outfit is that the players who were ill at the start of the week have recovered and manager Pasquale Marino’s squad is back in training.

Sunday June 22 – The second leg at the Stadio Arechi and a truly chaotic ending to the saga.

Sampdoria take charge of the tie when Massimo Coda scores shortly before half-time and Giuseppe Sibilli doubles the lead soon after the break.

Salernitana fans, watching their side slip to a second successive relegation, throw flares and ripped-out seats on to the pitch midway through the second half. The players are taken off amid safety concerns and after a delay of half an hour it looks like the game will restart. But the worries over safety remain and after another brief delay the match is suspended.

And that is it. Game over. Sampdoria stay up and Salernitana crash into the third tier.