In brief
Monza lost 2-0 at home to Catanzaro but won promotion because the 2-2 aggregate tie was decided by their higher regular-season finish (3rd vs. 5th).
Needing three goals to overturn the first-leg deficit, Catanzaro scored twice and pushed relentlessly for a third, leaving their coach in tears at the final whistle.
Monza bounces back to Serie A after just one season in Serie B, having been relegated in the 2024/25 campaign.
Monza joins Venezia and Frosinone as the promoted teams, replacing relegated Cremonese, Verona, and Pisa.
- 1 MayMonza finishes 3rd in Serie B regular season; Catanzaro finishes 5th.
- 22 MayPlayoff final first leg: Monza wins 2-0 at Catanzaro.
- 29 MayPlayoff final second leg: Catanzaro wins 2-0, but Monza promoted on tiebreaker.
Monza has returned to Italy's top football division, Serie A, after a single season in the second tier. The Lombardy club lost 2-0 to Catanzaro at the U-Power Stadium in the second leg of the Serie B playoff final on Friday, 29 May 2026, but triumphed in the tie due to a superior league position after the two legs ended 2-2 on aggregate.
The Decisive Tie
Monza had won the first leg 2-0 at Catanzaro's Stadio Nicola Ceravolo. In the return fixture, Felipe Jack gave the visitors a 40th-minute lead, and Ruggero Frosinini added a second in the 78th minute. Catanzaro, managed by Alberto Aquilani, pushed desperately for a third goal that would have secured a historic promotion, but Monza held on. The aggregate score finished level, and because Monza finished 3rd in the regular season compared to Catanzaro's 5th place, the home side advanced without the need for extra time or penalties.
“I thought I would suffer less; I dedicate this to my wife.”
Catanzaro's Brave Effort
Catanzaro came agonizingly close to a remarkable comeback. The Calabrian side, who had not been in Serie A for 43 years, dominated large portions of the match and were applauded by their traveling fans. They hit the woodwork, forced several saves from Monza goalkeeper Thiam, and saw captain Iemmello miss a clear chance for a third goal. Coach Aquilani was left in tears on the bench after the final whistle, consoled by his Monza counterpart Paolo Bianco in a show of sportsmanship.
The Road Back
Monza's immediate return to the top flight completes a redemption arc after a disastrous 2024/25 season that saw them relegated. The club, controlled by an American investor and the Berlusconi family, appointed Bianco in the summer and rebuilt. They join Venezia and Frosinone, who gained automatic promotion, in Serie A next season. Cremonese, Verona, and Pisa are relegated in their place.
A Date with History
In a curious coincidence, Monza celebrated this promotion on 29 May, exactly four years after the club first reached Serie A in its 110-year history on 29 May 2022, an event witnessed by Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani. The current squad, featuring players like Pessina, Dany Mota, Colpani, and Caso, now prepares for the club's fourth-ever season in the Italian top flight.