Lega Pro Prima Divisione

The Lega Pro Prima Divisione (formerly Serie C1 ) was the third highest Italian professional football league . The league was hosted by the Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico , a subsidiary of the Italian Football Association, the FIGC . In 2012–2013 the two divisions were merged again.

mode

The Lega Pro Prima Divisione is divided into two seasons of 18 teams. In each season the teams play against each other in a two-way round, so that a team plays 34 games in the course of a season, half of which are at home and half away.

The season usually begins at the beginning of September and ends at the beginning of May. As in all of Italy, the first half of the season ends before Christmas and the second half of the season usually begins on the first Sunday after January 6th. Matchday is always Sunday afternoon, but one game takes place on Mondays. A few clubs already play their home games on Saturdays.

The allocation to the two seasons is usually based on geographic criteria. In Girone A majority of teams playing from northern Italy, while teams from South and Central Italy usually in the Girone B play. The classification according to geographical criteria is often overridden in order to avoid risk games. The teams in central Italy change the relay comparatively often so that the relay size of 18 clubs can be maintained.

Promotion to Serie B

As in all Italian leagues, the Prima Divisione was about promotion and relegation every year. After the end of the season, a total of four clubs rose, two from each season. The first place in each season rose directly to Serie B , the clubs in places two to five played the second climber in promotion playoffs. In the semifinals, the runner-up met fifth in the table and the third placed fourth. The two-legged winners played the second promoted player in the final. If it was a tie in the semi-finals after the return leg, the team that was better placed after the regular season moved into the play-off final.

In the final, in the event of a cumulative draw after the return leg, half-hour extra time was played. If there was still no winner, the better placed club at the end of the season rose to Serie B.

Relegation to the Seconda Divisione

The bottom of a season rose at the end of the season directly to the Seconda Divisione . In a play-out , the teams in positions 14 to 17 played two more relegated teams, so that a total of six teams were relegated from the Prima to the Seconda Divisione every year. The team in 14th place met the team that finished 17th after the regular season. In a second duel the teams competed in 15th and 16th place against each other. If it was drawn after two 90 minutes, the team that was better placed after the regular season remained in the Prima Divisione.

title

Unlike in other European leagues, the Lega Pro teams determine their own cup and Supercup winners. The ten best Serie C1 clubs usually took part in the regular cup tournament, the other teams play their own Coppa Italia Serie C winners. A Supercup game in Serie C has also been taking place since 2000. The first placed of the two seasons will determine a finalist and he will play with the Coppa Italia Serie C winner for the Italian Supercup of Serie C.

history

The Prima Divisione emerged in 1978 from the division of the C series into two separate leagues, the C1 series, henceforth the third highest division, and the C2 series, henceforth the fourth highest division. The Lega Nazionale Semiprofessionisti was responsible for the game operation.

From the beginning, the league was divided into two seasons of 18 teams each according to geographical considerations. Teams from northern and central Italy played in Girone A, and teams from southern and central Italy in Girone B. The promotion regulation initially provided for four direct promoters to Serie B, i.e. the two best placed in each season. The teams in positions 15 to 18 were relegated directly to Serie C2.

In 1986 the Lega Nazionale Semiprofessionisti renamed itself to Lega Professionisti Serie C and reformed the promotion and relegation for the 1987/88 season. In addition to the two best placed in each season, the two third placed players played another promoted to Serie B. As relegated teams, three teams per season were now planned, not four.

Two innovations were introduced for the 1993/94 season. On the one hand, there were now three instead of two points for a win, on the other hand, the promoted and relegated teams, with the exception of the first and last place finishers, were played off in a play-off or play-out system.

In the 2004/05 and 2005/06 season there was a change in the seasons. Instead of a north-south distinction, the teams were divided into the two squadrons according to the criterion west-east.

For the 2008/09 season, the league changed its name from Serie C1 to Lega Pro Prima Divisione, just like Serie C2 is now called Lega Pro Seconda Divisione . In principle, nothing changed in terms of format and mode.

On November 21, 2012, the Italian Football Association decided to abolish the second division and increase the new Lega Pro to 54 teams (in three groups). The 2013-14 championship was played in a transition mode. This year none of the teams in the 1st division was relegated and the 18 best teams in the 2nd division were promoted to the new Lega Pro, while the other 36 relegated to Serie D.

Teams in the 2013/14 season

**Girone A**
team
UC Albinoleffe
Carrarese Calcio
Como Calcio
US Cremonese
Feralpisalò
AC Lumezzane
AC Pavia
Aurora Pro Patria
FC Pro Vercelli
AC Reggiana
San Marino Calcio
Savona 1907 FBC
FC South Tyrol
FBC Unione Venice
Vicenza Calcio
Virtus Entella

**Girone B**
team
Ascoli Calcio
SS Barletta Calcio
Benevento Calcio
Unione Sportiva Catanzaro
Frosinone Calcio
US Grosseto
AS Gubbio 1910
L'Aquila Calcio
US Lecce
ASG Nocerina
Paganese Calcio
AC Perugia Calcio
AC Pisa
US Città di Pontedera
AC Prato
US Salernitana
FC Esperia Viareggio

The champions of the Lega Pro Prima Divisione

season	Girone A	Girone B
2008/09	AC Cesena	Gallipoli Calcio
2009/10	Novara Calcio	Calcio Portogruaro Summaga
2010/11	AS Gubbio 1910	ASG Nocerina
2011/12	Ternana Calcio	Specia Calcio
2012/13	Trapani Calcio	AS Avellino 1912
2013/14	Virtus Entella	AC Perugia Calcio