2019–20 Serie C


The 2019–20 Serie C was the sixth season of the unified Serie C division, the third tier of the Italian football league system. The season was scheduled to run from 24 August 2019 to 26 April 2020, however, on 9 March 2020, the Italian government halted the league until 3 April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. Serie C did not resume play on this date. On 18 May, it was announced that Italian football would be suspended until 14 June.
On 8 June, the Italian Football Federation formally declared Monza, Vicenza, and Reggina as champions of their respective groups, thus awarding them promotion to Serie B, while also confirming the promotion and relegations playoff will take place as planned, based on the league standings by the time of the regular season suspension.

Teams

The league was contested by 60 teams.

Relegated from Serie B

Venezia was readmitted in Serie B after the bankruptcy of Palermo.

Promoted from Serie D

Following the disbandment of four Serie C clubs, Arzachena, Albissola, Lucchese and Siracusa, four relegated clubs were readmitted as members of Serie C.
Following the bankruptcy of Foggia and Palermo, FIGC chose two historic big clubs from Serie D to fill the vacancies.
On 12 July, the FIGC additionally excluded Arzachena from Serie C, but Bisceglie were not initially readmitted and were awaiting the result of court proceedings, along with Audace Cerignola. As a result, one vacancy remained in Group C that had not been filled, due to a lack of valid applications for Serie C readmissions.
On 23 July, the Court of the CONI overturned the original decision from the FIGC by declaring both Bisceglie and Audace Cerignola's readmission requests as valid, thus creating uncertainty on the new format and even opening doors to a potential 21-team Group C.
On 25 July, the FIGC readmitted Bisceglie to Serie C, whereas, in spite of the ruling by the Court of the CONI, Audace Cerignola's request was rejected due to alleged stadium irregularities. On August 5, however, CONI once again overturned the FIGC's decision not to admit Audace Cerignola to Serie C.
On 10 September, Lazio's Regional Administrative Tribunal denied Audace Cerignola's appeal for readmission, by suspending the measures for which CONI had used to readmit the club into Serie C. A new hearing was set for February 11, 2020, at which time a repecheage would no longer be possible, which effectively left the club in Serie D.

COVID-19 pandemic suspension

On 9 March 2020, the Lega Pro committee announced the suspension of the league due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.
On 8 May 2020, the league committee formally proposed the Italian Football Federation to end the season altogether and award promotion to the three league toppers, plus Carpi for having the highest point-per-game ratio among all other teams by the time of the suspension, and block all relegations to Serie D. This proposal was however rejected by the Italian Football Federation on 20 May, as they objected the Serie C season will have to end as planned, with 20 August as the formal deadline to complete it.
On 8 June, the Italian Football Federation formally declared the end of the Serie C regular season; Monza, Vicenza and Reggina were awarded promotion to Serie B, while Gozzano, Rimini and Rieti were relegated to Serie D. Promotion and relegation playoffs will take place as planned, albeit on a voluntary basis.
Following the deliberation from the Italian Football Federation, Pontedera, Arezzo, Modena, Pro Patria, Piacenza and Vibonese announced they would not take part to the promotion playoffs.

Stadia and locations

Group A (North & Central West)

8 teams from Lombardy, 6 teams from Tuscany, 5 teams from Piedmont and 1 team from Sardinia.
ClubCityStadiumCapacity
AlbinoLeffeAlbino and LeffeCittà di Gorgonzola 3,766
AlessandriaAlessandriaGiuseppe Moccagatta5,827
ArezzoArezzoCittà di Arezzo13,128
CarrareseCarraraDei Marmi9,500
ComoComoGiuseppe Sinigaglia13,602
Giana ErminioGorgonzolaCittà di Gorgonzola3,766
GozzanoGozzanoStadio Alfredo d'Albertas1,510
Juventus U23TurinGiuseppe Moccagatta 5,827
LeccoLeccoRigamonti-Ceppi4,997
MonzaMonzaBrianteo18,568
NovaraNovaraSilvio Piola 17,875
OlbiaOlbiaBruno Nespoli3,200
PergoletteseCremaGiuseppe Voltini4,100
PianesePiancastagnaioCarlo Zecchini 9,779
PistoiesePistoiaMarcello Melani13,195
PontederaPontederaEttore Mannucci2,700
Pro PatriaBusto ArsizioCarlo Speroni4,627
Pro VercelliVercelliSilvio Piola 5,500
RenateRenateCittà di Meda 2,900
SienaSienaMontepaschi Arena15,373

Group B (North & Central East)

8 teams from Emilia-Romagna, 4 teams from Marche, 4 teams from Veneto, 1 team from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, 1 team from Lombardy, 1 team from Trentino-Alto Adige and 1 team from Umbria.
ClubCityStadiumCapacity
ArzignanoArzignanoRomeo Menti 13,173
CarpiCarpiSandro Cabassi5,550
CesenaCesenaDino Manuzzi20,194
FanoFanoRaffaele Mancini8,800
FeralpiSalòSalòLino Turina2,364
FermanaFermoBruno Recchioni8,920
GubbioGubbioPietro Barbetti4,939
ImoleseImolaRomeo Galli4,000
ModenaModenaAlberto Braglia21,092
PadovaPaduaEuganeo32,420
PiacenzaPiacenzaLeonardo Garilli21,668
RavennaRavennaBruno Benelli12,020
Reggio AudaceReggio EmiliaMapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore21,584
RiminiRiminiRomeo Neri7,442
SambenedetteseSan Benedetto del TrontoRiviera delle Palme13,705
SüdtirolBolzano/BozenDruso3,500
TriestinaTriesteNereo Rocco32,454
VicenzaVicenzaRomeo Menti13,173
Virtus VeronaVeronaGavagnin Nocini1,200
Vis PesaroPesaroTonino Benelli4,898

Group C (Central & South)

4 teams from Apulia, 4 teams from Calabria, 4 teams from Campania, 2 teams from Basilicata, 2 teams from Lazio, 2 teams from Sicily, 1 from Abruzzo and 1 from Umbria.
ClubCityStadiumCapacity
AvellinoAvellinoPartenio-Adriano Lombardi10,215
BariBariSan Nicola58,270
BisceglieBisceglieGustavo Ventura5,000
CasertanaCasertaAlberto Pinto12,000
CataniaCataniaAngelo Massimino20,266
CatanzaroCatanzaroNicola Ceravolo14,650
CaveseCava de' TirreniSimonetta Lamberti5,000
MonopoliMonopoliVito Simone Veneziani6,880
PaganesePaganiMarcello Torre5,093
PicernoPicernoAlfredo Viviani 4,977
PotenzaPotenzaAlfredo Viviani4,977
RegginaReggio CalabriaOreste Granillo27,454
RendeRendeMarco Lorenzon5,000
RietiRietiManlio Scopigno10,163
Sicula LeonzioLentiniAngelino Nobile2,500
TeramoTeramoGaetano Bonolis7,498
TernanaTerniLibero Liberati17,460
ViboneseVibo ValentiaLuigi Razza6,500
Virtus FrancavillaFrancavilla FontanaGiovanni Paolo II2,000
Viterbese CastrenseViterboEnrico Rocchi5,460

League tables

Group A (North & Central West)

Group B (North & Central East)

Group C (South)

Promotion play-offs

First Round

If tied, higher-placed team advances.

Second Round

If tied, higher-placed team advances.

Third Round

If tied, higher-placed team advances.

Fourth Round

If tied, higher-placed team advances.

Final Four

''If tied after regular time, winner is decided by extra-time and eventually penalty shoot-out.
Reggio Audace promoted to Serie B.

Relegation play-outs

Higher-placed team plays at home for second leg. If tied on aggregate, lower-placed team is relegated.

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Mirco Antenucci1Bari21
2 Giuseppe FellaMonopoli17
2 Saveriano Infantino1Carrarese17
4 Tommaso Biasci2Carpi16
5 Simone CorazzaReggina14
6 Daniele PaponiPiacenza13
7 Germán DenisReggina12
7 Umberto Eusepi3Alessandria12
9 Aniello CutoloArezzo11
9 Francesco GaluppiniRenate11
9 Augustus Kargbo2Reggio Audace11
9 Facundo LescanoSicula Leonzio11
9 Leonardo PérezVirtus Francavilla11
9 Federico Vázquez1Virtus Francavilla11
9 Emanuele SantanielloPicerno11
9 Simone Simeri1Bari11

;Note
1Player scored 1 goal in the play-offs.
2Player scored 2 goals in the play-offs.
3Player scored 3 goals in the play-offs.