Italian Serie A

History

The Italian Serie A, officially known as Serie A TIM due to sponsorship reasons, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system. Established in 1898, it is one of the oldest football competitions in the world. The league hosts 20 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Italian Serie B.

Aerial view of a football stadium during a Serie A match.

Format

The Serie A season runs from August to May, with teams playing 38 matches each, totalling 380 matches in the season. Most games are played on Sundays, with a smaller number of games played during weekday evenings. Matches are played in a round-robin format, where each team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away.

Teams

The league comprises 20 teams. Notable clubs include Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan, which have historical significance in Italian and European football. These clubs have won numerous domestic and international titles, contributing to the prestige of Serie A.

Performance in European Competition

Italian clubs have had success in European competitions, with Italian teams winning the Champions League twelve times and the Europa League nine times. Serie A ranks third among European leagues according to UEFA's league coefficient, which is based on the performance of Italian clubs in the Champions League and the Europa League.

Relegation

The three lowest placed teams in Serie A are relegated to Serie B. In their place, the top two teams from Serie B are promoted. The third team to be promoted is determined through play-off matches between the third, fourth, fifth and sixth placed clubs.

Scudetto and Other Awards

The team with the highest points at the end of the season is awarded the Scudetto, the championship title. Individual awards are also given out, including the Capocannoniere for the top goal scorer, and the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year for the best performing goalkeeper.

Criticism and Controversy

Serie A has faced criticism and controversy, particularly in relation to financial disparity, match-fixing scandals, and instances of racism. Efforts have been made to address these issues, with varying degrees of success.