Salernitana promoted to Serie A, Berlusconi's Monza in playoffs

Rome, May 10, 2021 (AFP) - Salernitana earned promotion to Serie A on Monday as they secured second place behind Serie B champions Empoli, while Silvio Berlusconi's ambitious Monza will go into the play-offs after finishing third.

A 3-0 victory over relegated Pescara ensured Salernitana will return to Italy's top flight for the first time since the 1998-99 season.

The Campania club's promotion means Lazio president Claudio Lotito will have to sell his stake in Salernitana, as Italian Football Federation rules prevent two clubs in the same league from having the same owner.

Monza's outside hopes of automatic promotion were dashed by a 2-0 home loss to Brescia.

The teams that finish from third to eighth go into a promotion play-off, with the four lowest-ranked clubs playing a preliminary round before the two-legged semi-finals and final.

Former AC Milan owner and Italian prime minister Berlusconi purchased Monza in September 2018 with the club in the third tier, having sold Milan in April 2017.

Monza signed Mario Balotelli in December, three months after ex-Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng joined the club on a free transfer.