Italy's second tier is basically a beautiful, stressful meat grinder. If you’ve been keeping an eye on the italy serie b standings lately, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s mid-January 2026, and while the top flight gets all the glitz, Serie B is where the real drama is hiding.
Right now, Frosinone is sitting pretty at the summit. They've got 41 points from 19 matches, and honestly, Massimiliano Alvini has them playing some of the most efficient football in the country. They aren't just winning; they’re strangling games. But here’s the thing: Venezia is breathing right down their necks with 38 points.
One bad weekend and the whole thing flips.
The View from the Top (and it’s Crowded)
It’s easy to look at a table and see numbers. But in Serie B, those numbers represent some of the most historic—and occasionally desperate—clubs in Italy. Behind Frosinone and Venezia, you’ve got Monza on 37 points and Palermo on 34.
Monza is a fascinating case. After falling back down from Serie A, everyone expected them to dominate. They did go on a seven-match winning streak earlier this season, but lately, they’ve been a bit... shaky? Losing to Virtus Entella on January 10th was a massive wake-up call. It proves that in this league, the "small" teams don't care about your budget or your history.
Palermo is the team everyone is watching. They have the highest average attendance by a mile—nearly 30,000 people cramming into the Barbera. And they have Joel Pohjanpalo. The guy is a machine. He’s already bagged 12 goals this season. When he’s on form, Palermo feels like a Serie A team playing in the wrong division.
Breaking Down the Italy Serie B Standings: Mid-Table Madness
The gap between the playoff spots and the middle of the pack is basically non-existent. Catanzaro and Cesena are tied at 31 points. Then you have Modena at 29, and Empoli and Juve Stabia sitting at 27.
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Look at Juve Stabia. They've only lost four games all season. That’s the same as Monza! But they have nine draws. Nine. They are the "King of Ties." If they could turn just three of those draws into wins, they’d be sitting in third place. It’s those tiny margins that keep fans awake at night.
Then there's the Empoli situation. They’ve been wildly inconsistent. One week they’re putting five goals past Bari, and the next they’re losing to teams at the bottom of the table. Alessio Dionisi has a talented squad, including Steven Shpendi, who is clearly destined for bigger things, but they can't seem to find a rhythm.
The Survival Battle is Getting Ugly
At the bottom of the italy serie b standings, things are getting genuinely tense. Pescara is currently propping up the table with just 14 points. They’ve only managed two wins all season. For a club with their history, it’s painful to watch.
The relegation zone is a mess of big names and struggling newcomers:
- Pescara (20th): 14 points.
- Mantova (19th): 16 points.
- Bari (18th): 17 points.
- Spezia (17th): 17 points.
- Sampdoria (16th): 18 points.
Yes, you read that right. Sampdoria is 16th.
They just beat Virtus Entella 1-0 on January 16th, which was a massive relief for Angelo Gregucci, but they are still in the "Play-out" zone. A club of that stature being in danger of falling to Serie C is unthinkable to most fans, yet here we are. Their 10 losses are the second-most in the league, tied with Spezia.
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What the Experts Are Missing
Most people just look at the points, but the xG (Expected Goals) data tells a different story. According to recent performance metrics, Modena actually has a higher xG than some of the teams above them. They’ve been incredibly unlucky. Ettore Gliozzi has 9 goals, but he probably should have 12 or 13 based on the chances he’s getting.
Also, don't sleep on the defensive stats. Venezia has only conceded 15 goals. That’s the joint-best in the league alongside Monza. Filip Stankovic has been a wall in goal. If you want to get promoted from Serie B, you don't necessarily need the best attack—you need a defense that doesn't crumble in rainy February away games in South Tyrol.
The Impact of the Winter Transfer Window
We’re in the middle of January, so the italy serie b standings are about to get hit by the "mercato" whirlwind.
Several clubs are looking for that one striker who can guarantee 10 goals in the second half of the season. There are rumors about Issa Doumbia potentially moving, and teams like Bari are desperate for reinforcements. If Bari doesn't find a way to score more—they only have 16 goals in 19 games—they are going down. Period.
Practical Insights for Following the Race
If you're tracking this league, don't just focus on the top two spots. Remember that 3rd through 8th place go into the playoffs. However, there’s a "killer clause" in the rules: if the 3rd place team finishes more than 14 points ahead of the 4th place team, the playoffs aren't even played.
That hasn't happened in years, and looking at the current table, it definitely won't happen this year. The talent gap is too narrow.
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To stay ahead of the curve:
- Watch the "Goal Difference": Frosinone (+20) and Venezia (+19) are significantly better than the rest. This usually suggests their lead isn't a fluke.
- Home vs Away Form: Venezia is a beast at home (8 wins, 0 losses), but they struggle on the road. If they want to catch Frosinone, they have to start winning away from the Pier Luigi Penzo.
- Discipline Matters: Players like Juan Illanes Minucci (9 yellow cards) are constantly on the edge of suspension. In a thin squad, losing a starting center-back for two games can derail a promotion charge.
The race for the 2025-26 season is far from over. With Matchday 20 and 21 coming up fast, we’re entering the "grind" phase of the season.
Check the fixture list for February. That's when the injuries pile up and the true contenders separate themselves from the pretenders. If Frosinone can survive the next six weeks with their lead intact, they're gone. If not, we're looking at a five-way scrap for the title on the final day in May.
Keep an eye on the Friday night games. They often set the tone for the entire weekend and can put immense pressure on the leaders before they even kick a ball.
Actionable Next Steps:
Keep a close watch on the goal-scoring trends of the bottom five teams over the next three matchdays. If a team like Bari or Mantova doesn't improve their "Goals For" tally by the end of January, their probability of relegation increases by nearly 40% based on historical Serie B recovery patterns. Additionally, monitor the "Minutes Played" for veteran strikers like Massimo Coda (37 years old); his fatigue levels in the spring often dictate whether his team stays in the playoff hunt or fades away.