May 14 – Palermo have been relegated to Serie C by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) because of financial irregularities, a decision that crushes their hopes of securing promotion to Italy’s top division.
Palermo have changed hands three times this season but managed to finish third in Serie B, earning a place in the promotion playoffs in which they were due to play next week.
Instead, an FIGC tribunal ruled that the club must be placed last in the table, condemning them to relegation to the third tier.
“The club was sanctioned for a series of management irregularities by some former managers,” the tribunal said in a statement on Monday.
There was no immediate response from the Sicilian club although an appeal could force the playoffs to be postponed.
Palermo owner Maurizio Zamparini, who was in charge at Palermo for 16 years, famously hiring and firing over 40 coaches during that period, sold the club to British-based Sport Capital Group for the symbolic price of 10 euros (£8.66) in December.
Three months later, ownership was transferred to two Zamparini associates and last week, the club was taken over again.
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