Como and Parma promoted to Serie A, play-offs set | OneFootball

Como have been promoted to Serie A after 21 years along with Parma, as Venezia, Cremonese, Catanzaro, Palermo, Sampdoria and Brescia enter the play-offs.

The result had been in doubt this evening during the final games of the 2023-24 regular season, with Como going into the round with a two-point advantage over Venezia.

At half-time, the Lagunari were leading 1-0 away to Spezia and Como trailing 1-0 at home to Cosenza, results which would’ve sent Venezia into the top flight.

However, it all got turned around after the restart, Venezia losing 2-1 and Como equalising with a Simone Verdi penalty.

Parma had already secured top spot and will be in Serie A next season along with Como and a third club that will be decided via the play-offs.

Those begin on May 17 with Palermo against Sampdoria, then May 18 for Catanzaro against Brescia.

On Monday May 20 it’s Palermo/Samp against Venezia, then Catanzaro/Brescia against Cremonese on May 21.

The semi-finals are on May 24 and 25.

Promotion to Serie A is decided in the two-legged Final on Thursday May 30 and Sunday June 2.

Ascoli are relegated to Serie C with Feralpisalò and Lecco, while the play-out will be between Bari and Ternana on May 16 and 23.

Como backroom staff include Fabregas, Roberts, Wise

The Como set-up has arguably one of the most recognisable list of names on their books of any Serie B side, which centres around former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder and 2010 World Cup winner Cesc Fabregas.

He ended his playing career in the lakeside city and then became a coach of the club’s Primavera side. Then, in November 2023, following the sacking of Moreno Longo, Fabregas was appointed interim head coach.

However, as he did not hold the required UEFA coaching licences at the time, his appointment could not be made permanent, and so, the vastly experienced former FA Wales director and ex-national team assistant coach Osian Roberts took over as caretaker until the end of 2023-24, with Fabregas now officially serving as first-team coach.

It is expected that Fabregas will become head coach again once he completes the necessary coaching badges.

Elsewhere in the club, former England international and Chelsea legend Dennis Wise is an advisor to the board, while Thierry Henry is an investor and also sits on the board of directors.

Henry and Wise were in the stands this evening, along with visiting friend Jamie Vardy of Leicester City.

On the pitch, no player has scored more than former Milan youngster Patrick Cutrone (14), who joined his hometown team on a three-year deal at the start of the 2022-23 season.