Monza returns to Serie A due to a bizarre rule

Football in Italy has always had a touch of magic, but what happened tonight in the Serie A promotion playoff final bordered on the absurd. While one side was left in tears of frustration, the other celebrated despite losing — all because of one of the most bizarre rules in modern football. Monza secured promotion back to Italy’s top flight even though they lost the second leg against Catanzaro 2-0. Having won the first leg away from home by the same scoreline, Monza saw the tie level at 2-2 on aggregate after 180 minutes. Any average football fan would have expected extra time, high drama, and perhaps a penalty shootout. Instead, Catanzaro were hit with a cold shower. The referee blew the final whistle, Monza’s players erupted in celebration, and the home crowd began rejoicing over promotion to Serie A — without a single minute of extra time being played.

In the Serie B playoffs, there is a rule that eliminates both extra time and penalties if the aggregate score is level after two matches. Instead, the team that finished higher in the regular-season standings advances. Since Monza finished third in Serie B and Catanzaro ended the season in fifth place, Monza automatically advanced as a reward for their performance over the 38-match campaign. The away-goals rule has disappeared from almost every competition in Europe, but Italy has gone a step further — removing even the opportunity for teams to settle matters on the pitch when everything is on the line. Catanzaro did everything within their power, overturning the deficit on their opponent’s ground, only to be eliminated not by the opposing players, but by the competition regulations.

As bizarre as their promotion may seem, Monza deserve credit for navigating an extraordinary and turbulent season. Following their relegation from Serie A last year, the club was taken over by an American investment fund, while Paolo Bianco was appointed head coach. The start was disastrous. By late September, poor results were piling up and supporters were growing increasingly frustrated. However, Bianco managed to turn things around in late October. Monza then embarked on a remarkable run of seven consecutive victories, inspired by captain Matteo Pessina, Izzo, and the in-form Andrea Colpani.

Key reinforcements arrived in January, including Patrick Cutrone and Kaza, prompting Bianco to declare that he finally had a Ferrari at his disposal. Although Monza stumbled through the final stretch of the season and missed out on automatic promotion, forcing them into the playoffs, their third-place finish ultimately proved more valuable than any goal scored tonight. Catanzaro return home with a bitter taste in their mouths and a victory that means nothing, while Monza, on the exact anniversary of their first-ever promotion to Serie A under Silvio Berlusconi in 2022, once again uncork the champagne. This time, however, with a significant helping hand from Italian football’s rulebook.