# 2012–13 Serie B

The 2012–13 Serie B (known as the Serie bwin for sponsorship reasons) is the 81st season since its establishment in 1929. A total of 22 teams will contest the league: 16 of which returning from the 2011–12 season, 4 of which promoted from Lega Pro Prima Divisione, and two relegated from Serie A. Puma replaced Nike as manufacturer of the official Serie B match ball, a relationship that continues today.
The league featured two clubs relegated from Serie A: Novara returned to the second division after only a single season in the top flight, whereas Cesena were relegated after a two-year stint.
Four teams were promoted from Lega Pro Prima Divisione, one of them returning to Serie B after a significant absence and one of them will play Serie B for the first time in their history, Pro Vercelli after 64 years, Ternana after 6 years, while Spezia will take part to Serie B after 4 years. The fourth promoted team, Virtus Lanciano will make debut in Serie B.
Grosseto and Lecce were provisionally, not yet enforceable, condemned to relegation to Lega Pro Prima Divisione, due to a large match fixing scandal involving Italian football; both clubs appealed the decision to the Italian Football Federation's Court of Justice. In appeal, Grosseto was acquitted from all charges and readmitted to Serie B, whereas Lecce's relegation was confirmed. Lecce already announced its intention to appeal the decision at the TNAS (National Sports Arbitration Court, at the Italian Olympic Committee level), but not blocking the relegation being immediately enforceable. On 23 August 2012, FIGC officially communicated that Vicenza were to replace Lecce, and there has been a possibility of extending the transfer window as regards Grosseto and Vicenza.

## Changes from last season
### Team changes
#### From Serie B
##### Promoted to Serie A

* Pescara
* Torino
* Sampdoria

##### Relegated to Lega Pro Prima Divisione

* AlbinoLeffe
* Gubbio
* Nocerina

#### To Serie B
##### Relegated from Serie A

* Novara
* Cesena

##### Promoted from Lega Pro Prima Divisione (Girone A)

* Ternana
* Pro Vercelli

##### Promoted from Lega Pro Prima Divisione (Girone B)

* Spezia
* Virtus Lanciano

## Teams
### Stadia and locations

| Team | Home city | Stadium | Capacity | 2011–12 season |
| Ascoli | Ascoli Piceno | Cino e Lillo Del Duca | 20,550 | 15th in the Serie B |
| Bari | Bari | San Nicola | 58,270 | 13th in the Serie B |
| Brescia | Brescia | Mario Rigamonti | 23,486 | 8th in the Serie B |
| Cesena | Cesena | Dino Manuzzi | 23,860 | 20th in the Serie A |
| Cittadella | Cittadella | Pier Cesare Tombolato | 7,623 | 16th in the Serie B |
| Crotone | Crotone | Ezio Scida | 9,631 | 11th in the Serie B |
| Empoli | Empoli | Carlo Castellani | 19,795 | 18th in the Serie B |
| Grosseto | Grosseto | Carlo Zecchini | 9,909 | 14th in the Serie B |
| Hellas Verona | Verona | Marc'Antonio Bentegodi | 38,402 | 4th in the Serie B |
| Juve Stabia | Castellammare di Stabia | Romeo Menti | 7,642 | 9th in the Serie B |
| Livorno | Livorno | Armando Picchi | 19,238 | 17th in the Serie B |
| Modena | Modena | Alberto Braglia | 21,151 | 12th in the Serie B |
| Novara | Novara | Silvio Piola | 17,875 | 19th in the Serie A |
| Padova | Padua | Euganeo | 18,060 | 7th in the Serie B |
| Pro Vercelli | Vercelli | Silvio Piola | 8,000 | The Prima Divisione/A play-off winners |
| Reggina | Reggio Calabria | Oreste Granillo | 27,454 | 10th in the Serie B |
| Sassuolo | Sassuolo (playing in Modena) | Alberto Braglia | 21,151 | 3rd in the Serie B |
| Spezia | La Spezia | Alberto Picco | 10,000 | The Prima Divisione/B Champions |
| Ternana | Terni | Libero Liberati | 22,000 | The Prima Divisione/A Champions |
| Varese | Varese | Franco Ossola | 8,213 | 5th in Serie B |
| Vicenza | Vicenza | Romeo Menti | 12,200 | 19th in the Serie B |
| Virtus Lanciano | Lanciano | Guido Biondi | 5,553 | The Prima Divisione/B play-off winners |

### Personnel and kits

| Team | President | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| Ascoli | Roberto Benigni | Massimo Silva | Max Sport | Carisap, CIAM |
| Bari | Francesco Vinella | Vincenzo Torrente | Erreà | Fashion District |
| Brescia | Gino Corioni | Alessandro Calori | Givova | UBI Banco di Brescia, SAMA |
| Cesena | Igor Campedelli | Pierpaolo Bisoli | Adidas | Technogym |
| Cittadella | Andrea Gabrielli | Claudio Foscarini | Garman | Siderurgica Gabrielli, Metalservice |
| Crotone | Raffaele Vrenna | Massimo Drago | Zeus | Sovreco, Associazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla |
| Empoli | Fabrizio Corsi | Maurizio Sarri | Royal | NGM Mobile, Computer Gross |
| Grosseto | Piero Camilli | Francesco Moriero | Erreà | Industria Lavorazione Carni Ovine, Banca della Maremma |
| Hellas Verona | Maurizio Setti | Andrea Mandorlini | Asics | agsm/Leaderform, E-gò/Velox Servizi |
| Juve Stabia | Francesco Giglio | Piero Braglia | Fly Line | Paddy Power, Marigo |
| Livorno | Aldo Spinelli | Davide Nicola | Legea | Banca Carige, Gruppo Spinelli |
| Modena | Pierluigi Grana | Walter Novellino | Givova | CPL Concordia, CoopGas |
| Novara | Carlo Accornero | Alfredo Aglietti | Joma | Banca Popolare di Novara, Intesa pour Homme |
| Padova | Marcello Cestaro | Franco Colomba | Joma | Famila |
| Pro Vercelli | Massimo Secondo | Maurizio Braghin | Erreà | Gruppo Biancamano/Senior Service, Riso Viazzo |
| Reggina | Lillo Foti | Giuseppe Pillon | Givova | Ciao Telecom, Stocco & Stocco |
| Sassuolo | Carlo Rossi | Eusebio Di Francesco | Sportika | Mapei |
| Spezia | Matteo Volpi | Luigi Cagni | Lotto | Carispezia, Gruppo Ferla |
| Ternana | Edoardo Longarini | Domenico Toscano | Macron | None |
| Varese | Antonio Rosati | Andrea Agostinelli | Adidas | Oro in Euro, Fatigati |
| Vicenza | Tiziano Cunico | Alessandro Dal Canto | Macron | Banca Popolare di Vicenza |
| Virtus Lanciano | Valentina Maio | Carmine Gautieri | Legea | Gruppo Maio, Banca Popolare di Lanciano e Sulmona |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Replaced by | Date of appointment |
| Reggina | Roberto Breda | End of contract | 30 June 2012 | Pre season | Davide Dionigi | 3 July 2012 |
| Cesena | Mario Beretta | End of contract | 30 June 2012 | Pre season | Nicola Campedelli | 1 July 2012 |
| Sassuolo | Fulvio Pea | End of contract | 30 June 2012 | Pre season | Eusebio Di Francesco | 1 July 2012 |
| Varese | Rolando Maran | Signed by Catania | 30 June 2012 | Pre season | Fabrizio Castori | 1 July 2012 |
| Empoli | Alfredo Aglietti | End of contract | 30 June 2012 | Pre season | Maurizio Sarri | 1 July 2012 |
| Modena | Cristiano Bergodi | End of contract | 30 June 2012 | Pre season | Dario Marcolin | 12 July 2012 |
| Padova | Alessandro Dal Canto | End of contract | 30 June 2012 | Pre season | Fulvio Pea | 1 July 2012 |
| Grosseto | Francesco Statuto | End of caretaker spell | 30 June 2012 | Pre season | Francesco Moriero | 1 July 2012 |
| Cesena | Nicola Campedelli | Sacked | 10 September 2012 | 21st | Pierpaolo Bisoli | 11 September 2012 |
| Grosseto | Francesco Moriero | Sacked | 1 October 2012 | 20th | Mario Somma | 1 October 2012 |
| Pro Vercelli | Maurizio Braghin | Sacked | 15 October 2012 | 18th | Giancarlo Camolese | 15 October 2012 |
| Novara | Attilio Tesser | Sacked | 31 October 2012 | 20th | Giacomo Gattuso | 31 October 2012 |
| Novara | Giacomo Gattuso | Sacked | 18 November 2012 | 21st | Alfredo Aglietti | 18 November 2012 |
| Grosseto | Mario Somma | Sacked | 18 November 2012 | 22nd | Lamberto Magrini | 19 November 2012 |
| Padova | Fulvio Pea | Sacked | 17 December 2012 | 5th | Franco Colomba | 17 December 2012 |
| Grosseto | Lamberto Magrini | Sacked | 18 December 2012 | 22nd | Leonardo Menichini | 18 December 2012 |
| Pro Vercelli | Giancarlo Camolese | Sacked | 3 January 2013 | 21st | Maurizio Braghin | 3 January 2013 |
| Spezia | Michele Serena | Sacked | 4 January 2013 | 12th | Gianluca Atzori | 4 January 2013 |
| Vicenza | Roberto Breda | Sacked | 28 January 2013 | 20th | Alessandro Dal Canto | 28 January 2013 |
| Grosseto | Leonardo Menichini | Sacked | 10 February 2013 | 22nd | Francesco Moriero | 11 February 2013 |
| Spezia | Gianluca Atzori | Sacked | 23 February 2013 | 13th | Luigi Cagni | 23 February 2013 |
| Ascoli | Massimo Silva | Sacked | 20 March 2013 | 16th | Rosario Pergolizzi | 20 March 2013 |
| Modena | Dario Marcolin | Sacked | 20 March 2013 | 12th | Walter Novellino | 20 March 2013 |
| Padova | Franco Colomba | Sacked | 20 March 2013 | 8th | Fulvio Pea | 20 March 2013 |
| Ascoli | Rosario Pergolizzi | Sacked | 13 April 2013 | 19th | Massimo Silva | 13 April 2013 |
| Varese | Fabrizio Castori | Sacked | 17 April 2013 | 7th | Andrea Agostinelli | 17 April 2013 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Sassuolo (C, P) | 42 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 78 | 40 | +38 | 85 | Promotion to Serie A |
| 2 | Hellas Verona (P) | 42 | 23 | 13 | 6 | 67 | 32 | +35 | 82 | Promotion to Serie A |
| 3 | Livorno (O, P) | 42 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 77 | 47 | +30 | 80 | Qualification to promotion play-offs |
| 4 | Empoli | 42 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 69 | 51 | +18 | 73 | Qualification to promotion play-offs |
| 5 | Novara | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 73 | 46 | +27 | 64 | Qualification to promotion play-offs |
| 6 | Brescia | 42 | 15 | 17 | 10 | 58 | 50 | +8 | 62 | Qualification to promotion play-offs |
| 7 | Varese | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 55 | 53 | +2 | 60 | |
| 8 | Modena | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 52 | 51 | +1 | 55 | |
| 9 | Ternana | 42 | 12 | 17 | 13 | 37 | 38 | −1 | 53 | |
| 10 | Bari | 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 55 | 47 | +8 | 53 | |
| 11 | Padova | 42 | 12 | 17 | 13 | 47 | 51 | −4 | 53 | |
| 12 | Crotone | 42 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 45 | 56 | −11 | 53 | |
| 13 | Spezia | 42 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 52 | 58 | −6 | 51 | |
| 14 | Cesena | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 46 | 58 | −12 | 50 | |
| 15 | Cittadella | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 48 | 61 | −13 | 50 | |
| 16 | Juve Stabia | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 54 | 65 | −11 | 50 | |
| 17 | Reggina | 42 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 42 | 51 | −9 | 49 | |
| 18 | Virtus Lanciano | 42 | 9 | 21 | 12 | 50 | 60 | −10 | 48 | |
| 19 | Vicenza (R) | 42 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 41 | 58 | −17 | 42 | Relegation to Lega Pro Prima Divisione |
| 20 | Ascoli (R) | 42 | 11 | 9 | 22 | 48 | 67 | −19 | 41 | Relegation to Lega Pro Prima Divisione |
| 21 | Pro Vercelli (R) | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 37 | 67 | −30 | 33 | Relegation to Lega Pro Prima Divisione |
| 22 | Grosseto (R) | 42 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 44 | 72 | −28 | 28 | Relegation to Lega Pro Prima Divisione |
* ↑ Novara was docked 3 points due to the 2011 Italian football scandal.
* 1 2 Ascoli and Varese were docked 1 point due to the 2011 Italian football scandal.
* 1 2 Modena and Reggina were docked 2 points due to the 2011 Italian football scandal.
* 1 2 3 4 TER: 11pts ; BAR: 10pts ; PAD: 8pts ; CRO: 2pts
* ↑ Bari was docked 7 points: 2 points due to financial irregularities and 5 points due to the 2011 Italian football scandal.
* ↑ Crotone was docked 2 points due to financial irregularities.
* 1 2 3 CES: 8pts ; CIT: 5pts ; JST: 2pts
* ↑ No relegation playoffs will be held as Virtus Lanciano is more than 4 points clear of 4th-last place.
* ↑ Grosseto was docked 6 points due to the 2011 Italian football scandal.

### Promotion play-offs

The higher placed team plays the second leg of the promotion playoff at home. If scores are tied after both games in the semifinals the higher placed team progresses to the final. The same conditions apply to the final except for there being extra time played if scores are tied after both games, the higher placed team will be promoted if scores are still level at the end of this period.
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Two-legged Final | Two-legged Final | Two-legged Final | Two-legged Final | Two-legged Final |
| 3 | Livorno | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| 6 | Brescia | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| 6 | Brescia | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Livorno | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| | | | | | 4 | Empoli | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Empoli | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | Empoli | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Novara | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |

## Results

| Home \ Away | ASC | BAR | BRE | CES | CIT | CRO | EMP | GRO | JST | LIV | MOD | NOV | PAD | PVE | REG | SAS | SPE | TER | VAR | HEL | VIC | VLN |
| Ascoli | — | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Bari | 0–1 | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 4–3 |
| Brescia | 3–2 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Cesena | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | — | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Cittadella | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–6 | 3–3 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 |
| Crotone | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | — | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Empoli | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | — | 3–2 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Grosseto | 2–1 | 4–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | — | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| Juve Stabia | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | — | 1–3 | 1–0 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Livorno | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | — | 1–2 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| Modena | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 |
| Novara | 1–0 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | — | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Padova | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–3 | — | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Pro Vercelli | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | — | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Reggina | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Sassuolo | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | — | 3–2 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 |
| Spezia | 4–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Ternana | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | — | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 |
| Varese | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–4 | 0–0 | 1–0 | — | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Hellas Verona | 3–1 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | — | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Vicenza | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–5 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 0–1 |
| Virtus Lanciano | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | — |

## Top goalscorers

    As of 13 May 2013.

### 24 goals

* Daniele Cacia (Hellas Verona)

### 22 goals

* Matteo Ardemagni (Modena)

### 21 goals

* Francesco Tavano (Empoli)

### 20 goals

* Paulinho (Livorno)

### 19 goals

* Marco Sansovini (Spezia)

### 18 goals

* Simone Zaza (Ascoli)

### 17 goals

* Osarimen Ebagua (Varese)
* Massimo Maccarone (Empoli)

### 16 goals

* Francesco Caputo (Bari)

### 15 goals

* Andrea Caracciolo (Brescia)
* Davide Succi (Cesena)