Italian Soccer

Top Flight Soccer in Italy – Serie A

The highest level of Italian soccer is the prestigious Serie A , which was first formed in 1929. For much of the time that Serie A has been in existence the league consisted of 16 or 18 teams but in 2005 the number increased to 20. Due to financial issues and television rights, in the 2010/2011 season the league will split from the lower levels, in a reorganization much like that that occurred when the old English First Division became the Premier League in 1992. The new division is yet to be officially named, but it is tentatively named Lega Calcio Serie A.

Promotion and relegation occur much in the same manner as occurs in the EPL, with the two bottom teams being relegated automatically and playoffs deciding the third victim from amongst the next four lowest placed teams.

The dominant teams over the years have been Juventus, Internazionale (aka Inter Milan) and Milan (aka AC Milan), although the only team that has never had to serve a season in a lower division is Internazionale.

The 2009/2010 Serie A consists of the following teams: Atalanta, Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Cheivo, Fiorentina, Genoa, Internazionale, Juventus, Lazio, Livorno, Milan,Napoli, Palermo,Parma, Roma, Sampdoria , Siena and Udinese. Inter are the current champions to beat.