Lega Serie B Meeting in Milan with all clubs in attendance.
The event opened with a visit from Federal President Giovanni Malagò, who was invited by Serie B League President Paolo Bedin to attend today’s meeting. In particular, Malagò provided the Assembly with an update on these first two months of his presidency, touching on various topics, including the national team, youth development, and new resources: “The Serie B League,” he said, “is a fundamental component of Italian soccer, with which the Federation aims to build a long-term vision that extends well beyond 2032. We must invest in young players and put ourselves in a position to restore prestige and success to Italian soccer. That’s why we’re already working at full speed with Mancini, Ranieri, and Zola. We need a policy that pays close attention to costs, but also the ability to find new resources. A major challenge lies ahead, and we’ll face it united, as a team. Italian soccer must regain respect and esteem. Now is the time to shift gears—all together.”
Bedin reiterated the role of the Serie B League as “a partner that is willing and responsible for collaborating on the reforms needed to revitalize the system.” In this regard, Bedin himself announced a report to be brought to the attention of the FIGC and Malagò in the coming weeks—following the necessary review by the League’s internal committees—on support for youth academies,
talent development, and the protection of the training pathway, starting with the sporting contract.
At the end of the meeting, Bedin presented Malagò with a replica of the Nexus Championship Cup.
In his remarks, Bedin provided an overview of the first three matchdays of the league season, which saw the highest number of goals and shots in the last five years: an average of 2.67 goals per game and approximately 28 shots on goal, respectively. Italian players accounted for 72% of playing time, while actual playing time increased by more than 4 minutes compared to last season’
. There has been a decrease in red cards (0.17) and yellow cards (3.90) compared to the last five seasons; finally—and this hasn’t happened since the 2012–2013 season—every match played in the first three rounds has featured at least one goal.