Salernitana concluded the Serie B season in 16th position, a single point and place above Sampdoria.
Sunday’s Serie B relegation playoff second leg between Salernitana and Sampdoria was abandoned following a pitch invasion by home supporters who threw smoke bombs and seats onto the field.
Sampdoria, leading 2-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate, were forced off the pitch after 65 minutes due to escalating unrest in the stands.
Italian media reports suggest Sampdoria are likely to be awarded a 3-0 victory, resulting in a 5-0 aggregate win and securing their Serie B status. This avoids relegation to Serie C.
Sampdoria, 1991 Serie A champions, faced initial relegation to Serie C for the first time in their 78-year history. However, a subsequent eight-point deduction for Brescia secured them a place in the relegation playoff.
Early match tension arose when a Salernitana goal was disallowed for handball. Sampdoria then scored twice, extending their aggregate lead to 4-0, igniting fan anger.
Following Sampdoria’s second goal, home fans reacted violently, throwing flares, firecrackers, and chairs onto the pitch. The game was repeatedly halted before being abandoned at the 65th minute.
Riot police attempted to restore order as players retreated to the dressing rooms. Despite a ten-minute delay, the match could not resume due to continued disturbances.
Salernitana required only a draw on aggregate to avoid relegation due to their higher league position.
Originally scheduled for Friday, the second leg was postponed to Sunday following a significant food poisoning incident affecting the Salernitana team. A request for postponement was granted after 21 members of their traveling party fell ill following their 2-0 first-leg defeat.
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