Serie B 2025/26 Season Preview

Seven new teams, twelve new managers and a whole rake of different faces on the pitch, both old and new. It’s Serie B, the most unpredictable league in Europe — at least without Sassuolo in it — and it’s back for the 2025/26 season.

It’s too close to call at either end of the table, so let’s preview each of the twenty teams set to take part this year:

Avellino

Manager: Raffaele Biancolino. Took over six matches into last season, with the team having won none of their opening five. Won Serie C/C in his first senior coaching job and backed to take them into this Serie B season.

Won Serie C/C by eight points last season and have since added several players with Serie B experience to the attack with Gennaro Tutino, Roberto Insigne and Andrea Favili.

The last three winners of Serie C/C have made the play-offs in their first season after promotion and there’s every chance that Avellino could sneak in with their high powered attack. The only issue will be if they can add a bit more defensive solidity.

Key player: Gennaro Tutino. Guaranteed goals at this level. Coming back from long term injury suffered at Sampdoria last season, but immediately elevates their attack.

One to watch: Justin Kumi. Midfielder on loan from Sassuolo, he spent 2024/25 at Reggiana but should see a lot more minutes this year. Capable of making things happen and could provide goals.

Bari

Manager: Fabio Caserta. Hired after taking Catanzaro to the play-offs last year. The expectation is that Caserta will raise the team from mid-table underachievement and make them competitive.

Two years of underachievement led them to hire Caserta and invest in veteran Serie B players like Lorenzo Dickmann and Gabriele Moncini on a free from bankrupt Brescia.

The play-offs will be an expectation, rather than aim, this season. If Caserta can’t get it done with an improved group of players, then perhaps there’s something inherently wrong with this club.

Key player: Matthias Verreth. A very reliable replacement for Ahmed Benali who can orchestrate in the middle of the park. Recently lost his infant son so has missed much of pre-season, but will be an integral part of the team when he returns.

One to watch: Emanuele Rao. Signed on loan from ‘parent’ club Napoli, an exciting young winger who looked dangerous in a woeful SPAL side in last season’s Serie C. Expected to feature from the get-go.

Carrarese

Manager: Antonio Calabro. Took the club up and kept them in Serie B. His solid, defensive style isn’t the prettiest, but it’s effective. It will be tough to replicate last season’s success.

Performed admirably to finish 12th in their debut season. Might those around them work out how to break down Calabro’s style? Maybe.

Even if you factor in an expected drop off in their second season, you’d be taking a risk by betting against their survival.

Key player: Manuel Cicconi. The creative spark in this side with eight assists last year, the left-midfielder will be crucial again this season.

One to watch: Kleis Bozhanaj. A dynamic attacking midfielder, his career stood still last season as he failed to get enough minutes in Modena’s side. This is his chance to break through and become a first team regular somewhere.

Catanzaro

Manager: Alberto Aquilani. Was linked with the job last year before Caserta took it. Only his second season in senior football after coaching Pisa in 2023/24.

They begin another season with a new manager and new faces after selling multiple first team players. The loss of goalscoring defender Federico Bonini will be felt strongly.

The play-offs are eminently achievable but the competition will be fierce and teams around them seem to have improved more than them. 

Key player: Pietro Iemmello. The goal machine and hometown hero, he’s hit 31 goals in Catanzaro’s two seasons since returning to Serie B. At 33, he’s the experienced poacher they need if they’re to make a fist of this season.

One to watch: Mattia Liberali. Could be the signing of the summer. Highly rated Milan youth prospect in search of first team football, so left permanently. A potentially elite attacking midfielder.

Cesena

Manager: Michele Mignani. Club considered sacking him despite finishing 7th. In reality, they stumbled into the play-offs and didn’t look inspiring in doing so. A slow start to this season and he’ll be gone.

Lived up to expectations last year after coming up from Serie C, reaching the play-offs. Added real quality in midfielder Dimitri Bisoli and defender Giovanni Zaro, two players they’ll hope will elevate the level of younger teammates like Cristian Shpendi and Tommaso Berti.

Could be in the mix again this year, especially if those younger lads can progress and make an impact.

Key player: Cristian Shpendi. Top scorer last year despite scoring only once after December. Could be the top striker in the league if he can recapture his form from 2023/24.

One to watch: Tommaso Berti. Talented young midfielder whose minutes were limited after some difficulties against tougher, more physical Serie B sides. Could become a regular fixture this year.

Empoli

Manager: Guido Pagliuca. Worked wonders with Juve Stabia, hence being wanted by Empoli. Has a young team to work with and if he gets it right, he could be managing in Serie A next year.

Relegated on the final day of last season. They’ve been here before, spending two seasons in the division between 2019-21. Unless things drastically change before the end of August, they should go into this season with a young squad, many of whom graduated through their academy.

With a coach like Pagliuca, the mix of youthful exuberance, quality like attacker Stiven Shpendi and a top goalkeeper like Andrea Fulignati could make them automatic promotion challengers.

Key player: Andrea Fulignati. A top, top Serie B goalkeeper. Was excellent for Catanzaro (‘23/24) and Cremonese (‘24/25). The exact player they need to help them over the line this season.

One to watch: Lorenzo Ignacchiti. Spent last season on loan at Reggiana and featured heavily in centre of midfield. Could be in for plenty of first team minutes this year.

Frosinone

Manager: Max Alvini. Sacked by Cosenza, who brought him back four matches later as they were on the cusp of relegation. Struggled in his past three jobs. A strange hire.

They were lucky to survive without a relegation play-out last year. They’ve improved slightly over the summer but hiring a coach like Alvini feels like a backward step.

Should avoid relegation this year, but it’s hard to imagine Alvini lasting the season. If they run into the difficulties they faced early last season, however, they might not get lucky twice.

Key player: Riccardo Marchizza. Offered creativity down the left and was desperately missed when injured midway through last season. He is now captain and will be crucial to this campaign.

One to watch: Antonio Raimondo. Talented young striker on loan from Bologna. Has had two formative, yet difficult loans in the past two years, but there’s some confidence that he might be able to overcome that now.

Juve Stabia

Manager: Ignazio Abate. Takes over from Pagliuca and has a task to avoid second season syndrome dragging them down the table.

Last year’s surprise package are a very different proposition now, having lost their star striker Andrea Adorante, several starters who returned to their parent club, and coach Guido Pagliuca to Empoli.

There’s a lot of faith in sporting director Matteo Lovisa, so the recruitment of younger players from Roma and Inter has the potential to be another masterstroke. Could reach the play-offs again, if the young lads gel with the more established players.

Key player: Marco Ruggero. Alongside fellow Marco (Bellich), he will be crucial to Abate’s team in the centre of defence. If Juve Stabia are to make the play-offs again this year, they’ll need the foundation provided by the two Marcos.

One to watch: Mattia Mannini. On loan from Roma, the right-back/midfielder should be an ever-present in this side and gain some valuable senior experience. He should take inspiration from Niccolo Fortini, who came on loan from Fiorentina and thrived last year.

Mantova

Manager: Davide Possanzini. Took them up to Serie B against all odds and then kept them up last year. But not without a struggle. Some doubts about his possession football being suitable to a side near the bottom of the table, but when he mixed it up last season, the team fell apart.

Came awfully close to the relegation play-out, the result of some mid-season tactical tinkering that failed miserably. Their leader in midfield, Salvatore Burrai, moved down to Serie C, choosing an easier life at 38. 

What might decide their fate this season is whether or not they can develop with Possanzini’s possession-based system. If not, they could well return to Serie C.

Key player: Nicolò Radaelli. An energetic right-back who can provide plenty in attack down that flank. Struggled with injuries last season but could be key this year.

One to watch: Senan Mullen. Irish defender on loan from Torino. Made his debut for the Granata in pre-season. Could be a formative year for him.

Modena

Manager: Andrea Sottil. An experienced manager, but a risky hire from Modena who were stung with Pierpaolo Bisoli failing to turn them into a solid defensive side last year. Sottil might do the same, but with a little more ambition going forward.

Having stabilised in Serie B under the ownership of Stone Island mogul Carlo Rivetti, now is the time for them to take the next step. Rivetti’s ambition is to take his hometown club to Serie A and the careful recruitment of players like Francesco Zampano and Luca Zanimacchia shows some movement in that regard.

They have to be aiming to reach the play-offs this year. The competition is likely too strong for them to succeed should they get that far, but it would at least take them in the right direction.

Key player: Alessandro Dellavalle. Defender on loan from Torino for a second year. Was excellent last season and played whenever fit. Capable of playing right-back or wing-back too.

One to watch: Gady Beyuku. Came into the squad last year and featured from time-to-time. Capable of playing either wing-back role, or in defence. Could play a more prominent role this year.

Monza

Manager: Paolo Bianco. Hired after a decent half-season at Frosinone. Could be a masterstroke, but currently looks like a risky hire. The safe move would have been to bring back Giovanni Stroppa.

Relegated with a whimper last season and sold by the Berlusconi family to an US investment group, Beckett Layne Ventures. Hired the unproven Paolo Bianco off the back of one good half-season with Frosinone, but have a decent squad.

If they can keep the key players past the end of this window, they should be considered a main challenger for promotion.

Key player: Andrea Colpani. If he stays, will almost certainly be the best player in the division by some distance. His contributions in attack could make the difference between automatic promotion and the play-offs.

One to watch: Kevin Zeroli. Promising young midfielder on loan from Milan. If he gets game time, he could be a real impact player at this level.

Padova

Manager: Matteo Andreoletti. Young manager who was coaching in Serie D at 25, he guided Padova through a competitive Serie C/A last season.

Won the attritional Serie C/A last season, pipping local rivals Vicenza to automatic promotion. They have a young coach in Andreolotti, a squad capable of competing and a wildcard like Papu Gomez. Sounds like a winning combination, right?

Maybe. They should find themselves among the peloton, at the very least, but some have tipped them for great things. The same was said of Cesena last year, so we’ll not get carried away just yet.

Key player: Mattia Bortolussi. Their striker from Serie C who hit sixteen goals last season. If he can make the jump successfully, he'll help make them competitive at this level.

One to watch: Papu Gomez. The former Atalanta hero returns from a doping ban in October. He hasn’t played in two years and is now 37, but if he’s even half the player he used to be, he could make a huge difference to their attack.

Palermo

Manager: Filippo Inzaghi. The most impressive signing this summer is a coaching one. Took  an unfancied Pisa up automatically last year and will be expected to do the same with Palermo’s considerable financial backing.

No club in Serie B history has felt the pressure quite like Palermo in the past two years. They have the millions of City Football Group behind them and a passionate fanbase of considerable size, but have limped into the play-offs in the past two years.

The time is now. They’ve invested heavily again and hired proven winner Inzaghi, who has achieved promotion multiple times, including last season with Pisa. Promotion is an expectation, not merely an ambition.

Key player: Joel Pohjanpalo. Scores goals for fun at this level. If all are firing behind him, he will guide this team to Serie A.

One to watch: Antonio Palumbo. Along with his new coach, he’s another signing who raised eyebrows. Everything went through him in midfield at Modena and now his set piece expertise could be the difference for Palermo. Expect to see plenty of assists for Pohjanpalo.

Pescara

Manager: Vincenzo Vivarini. An impressive hire, if he can repeat what he achieved at Catanzaro. Sacked after ten matches by a woeful Frosinone team last year. Has a huge task to keep this team up.

Promoted in dramatic circumstances, when Alessandro Plizzari saved three penalties in the play-off final penalty shootout. Head coach Silvio Baldini led them up to Serie B and quit, while Plizzari returned to Venezia once his loan ended.

They’ve hired Viviarini, a decent replacement, and set about slowly building a squad capable of surviving in Serie B. They have their work cut out and the odds are against Pescara’s survival, but they should battle hard against their supposed fate.

Key player: Matteo Dagasso. The beating heart of this team in midfield, he’ll need to make the step up if they’re to be in any way competitive this season.

One to watch: Gianmarco Cangiano. Loanee winger from Bologna, who are very hopeful he’ll make the grade.

Reggiana

Manager: Davide Dionigi. Took over in late March and steadied a team that looked destined for relegation. Rarely completes a full season but has the fans behind him here.

Their squad has declined ever since arriving in Serie B two years ago, the result of underinvestment from an owner who’s keen to sell the club.

Reggiana are trying to do it on the cheap, recruiting youngsters and players from Serie C. It might work this year, but those around them have strengthened. Long season ahead, probably.

Key player: Natan Girma. Attacking midfielder who can also play up front, he should be a key part of their attack provided he doesn’t leave before the window closes.

One to watch: Andrea Papetti. Once a top prospect in Italy, he joined on a free from Brescia. A physically imposing centre-back, if he can stay injury free, he’ll be crucial.

Sampdoria

Manager: Massimo Donati. Arrives with a lot of pressure to succeed, but very little real experience at this level. This is a huge club and he’ll need to hit the ground running.

They would be preparing for a season in Serie C were it not for Brescia’s financial irregularities. Taking their second chance against Salernitana in the play-out means they have another opportunity they can blow this season.

Hiring an inexperienced manager didn’t work before (Andrea Pirlo), but it might this time. Their activity in the window hasn’t been quite as emphatic as last year, but they have added some quality in midfield. They could get their act together and push for the play-offs, but don’t be surprised if they end up in another protracted relegation battle.

Key player: Liam Henderson. A reliable midfielder, he signed on a free after leaving Empoli. The Scot should be a permanent fixture in this side and provide the sort of quality that was desperately lacking last year.

One to watch: Nikola Sekulov. Winger/attacker who often shows signs of promise, but is yet to really deliver. Expected to feature more this season, and needs to make the most of it. 

Spezia

Manager: Luca D’Angelo. A second full season at Spezia after saving them from relegation midway through 2023/24. Unlucky not to win the play-offs last year, they’ll want to avoid that same fate.

Spezia should be playing Serie A football this year, but they blew their home second leg in the play-off final, giving Cremonese a three goal lead.

They remain contenders thanks to retaining a key player in Salvatore Esposito, while adding some quality in attack. They could do with another midfielder, a goalkeeper and maybe a winger.

Key player: Salvatore Esposito. All-action midfielder who takes set pieces. Will be crucial to any hopes of promotion. Linked with Besiktas earlier in the window and will certainly leave if they’re not in Serie A next year.

One to watch: Vanja Vlahovic. He is the replacement for Francesco Pio Esposito, who returns to parent club Inter. If he can hit double figures for goals with some support from the rest of the attack, they could be in the mix.

Sudtirol

Manager: Fabrizio Castori. Old school coach who stabilised the team, avoided relegation and made them hard to beat in the second half of 2024/25. It will be interesting to see if he’s still there in a year’s time. Probably not.

They have stood still in the past two years since reaching the play-off semi final in their debut Serie B season. The squad transition has been slow and they have a short term manager in Castori.

That all sounds like relegation, right? Maybe. Castori made them difficult to beat and dangerous from set pieces last year, but that might only work in the short term.

Key player: Daniele Casiraghi. By far their best technical player, the number ten’s form often correlates with the team’s fortunes. However, his coach seems to consider him a bit of a luxury and dropped him on occasion last season. Castori has to play him, and Casiraghi has to deliver, or else they could well go down.

One to watch: Raphael Kofler. Another defender, but can play midfield. Italy youth international and a player who should get a lot more football this year.

Venezia

Manager: Giovanni Stroppa. Three Serie B promotions in six years is why they’ve hired him, and rightly so. The aim is clear: get out of this league by whatever means necessary. Well, except relegation.

Along with Empoli, they were relegated on the final day. Hiring Stroppa as coach makes plenty of sense, given his pedigree at this level. 

They’ve been promoted twice since 2021 via the play-offs but their ambitions will be higher this season. Venezia’s squad is at a much higher level than it was in 2022, when they were last relegated from Serie A. They are quite possibly the strongest side in the league, for now, and will be hard to beat.

Key player: Gianluca Busio. Knows the level, having been a part of the promotion winning side in 2023/24. Alongside midfielder Hans Nicolussi Caviglia, if both stick around they could be quite a pairing.

One to watch: Mattia Compagnon. Promising loans at FeralpiSalo and then Catanzaro meant that Venezia took a punt on the Juventus winger. Should get plenty of game time.

Virtus Entella

Manager: Andrea Chiappella. Hired after promotion winner Fabio Gallo quit. Another young coach, he performed well with Serie C side Giana Erminio and appears confident of making the next step.

They won Serie C/B and became the first team to be promoted to Serie B last season. A small club based in Chiavari, outside Genoa, they’re obviously considered candidates, probably favourites, for relegation. But don’t underestimate them.

They obliterated Ternana in the Coppa Italia and while their opponents will be at a higher level across the next 38 weeks, Virtus Entella look to have enough about them to cause some problems. It feels like no side will be relegated with several matches to spare this year, so it could go right to the wire.

Key player: Andrea Franzoni. A mercurial midfielder who led his team to promotion last year, he will be vital to any fight for survival.

One to watch: Flavio Russo. Ex-Catania youth striker on loan from Sassuolo. He should get a clear run at it this year in a side fighting relegation. He’s already scored in Coppa Italia and looked sharp in pre-season.