Cittadella facing a tough challenge in next season’s Serie B.

If we thought this season was the most competitive Serie B in a while, we could be heading towards a whole new level starting in August.

Serie A has just concluded this past weekend, and we now know the three teams coming down a division. Cittadella will be seeking their revenge against Venezia who finished last in the top flight. Genoa has also been relegated after a long spell in Serie A, and Cagliari were relegated on the final day.

These teams are likely to be favorites to go back up next season, as the quality and financial gap is large compared to smaller teams in Serie B. Promotion isn’t always guaranteed however, as Crotone and Parma showed us why there’s no letting off in the second tier.

So who will replace those three? We know Lecce and Cremonese are making the leap, and the final spot is down to Pisa or Monza. Monza, having fumbled automatic promotion on the final day, will have a two legged tie against Luca D’Angelo’s Pisa side for a chance at Serie A. Monza are the stronger side on paper, but Pisa will have home advantage in the second leg, where their home fans will be hoping to celebrate Sunday night.

Regardless of who goes up, it will guarantee another promotion contender for next year in Serie B. Notable teams that failed their playoff bid include Benevento and Brescia, who are always tough opponents to play.

Going down the table, you got teams that will make it difficult for Cittadella throughout the season. We know 3/4 teams coming up from Serie C so far: Bari, Sudtirol, and Modena. Once again, these are not easy opponents to play against, and it’s likely all these teams will have a say in the league. Lastly, one of Palermo, Feralpisalo, Catanzaro, or Padova will be the final team promoted into Serie B.

Close rivals Padova are inching their way towards promotion. And again, it would add an extra big match in Cittadella’s season.

Serie B is not an easy league to achieve promotion from, especially if you’re a team like Cittadella competing with teams with much higher wage bills and resources. It’ll no doubt be the challenge next year if the Granata want to be promoted to Serie A for the first time. Believing is the key.