The second leg of the Serie B relegation playoff between Salernitana and Sampdoria was called off on Sunday when home supporters threw smoke bombs and seating onto the field.
Sampdoria were in command with a 2-0 lead when the match was halted in the 65th minute due to Salernitana fans launching objects onto the pitch. Although the game briefly resumed, it was later abandoned amid chaotic scenes at the Stadio Arechi.
As reported by Italian media, Sampdoria are expected to be awarded a 3-0 victory, which would culminate in a 5-0 aggregate win and secure their escape from what appeared to be an almost certain relegation to the third tier.
Salernitana’s CEO, Maurizio Milan, announced in a press conference that the club will indeed be relegated to Serie C.
“We had hoped to continue in Serie B, but now we will be starting over in Serie C,” he stated.
“We understand that the third division is extremely challenging. We will get right back to it, learning from our previous errors.”
Sampdoria, who were crowned Italian champions in 1991, faced relegation to Serie C for the first time in their 78-year history. However, they were given a reprieve after the end of the season when Brescia were penalised with point deductions for financial misconduct, allowing Sampdoria to climb above them and secure a spot in the relegation playoff.
Additionally, Salernitana faced its own woes as food poisoning affected the squad, which resulted in the postponement of the second leg after Sampdoria’s 2-0 win in the first leg.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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