Legendary Club Brescia Calcio Gets Expelled from Serie C, Ending 114-Year Legacy

Last Updated:July 04, 2025, 17:57 IST

Brescia, one of Italy's oldest football clubs, was expelled from Serie C and lost its professional license due to financial violations, ending a 114-year presence in pro leagues.

Mario Balotelli during his Brescia days (X)

In a devastating blow to Italian football, Brescia Calcio—one of the country’s oldest clubs—has been officially expelled from Serie C and stripped of its professional licence by the FIGC, marking the end of a continuous 114-year presence in Italy’s professional leagues.

The club was relegated to the third tier of Italian football after being docked eight points by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in May for a series of financial violations.

Debt Crisis Sparks Points Penalty and Relegation

Following the 2024–25 season, Brescia narrowly avoided relegation on the field, finishing 15th in Serie B. However, financial probes uncovered serious issues: unpaid staff wages, overdue taxes, and fraudulent use of tax credits.

As a result, the FIGC imposed an eight-point deduction—four applied immediately, four deferred to the next season—dropping the club to 18th place and triggering automatic relegation.

Owner Cellino Accused, Club in Chaos

President Massimo Cellino, in charge since 2017 and previously owner of Leeds United, refused to settle approximately €3 million in debts. Covisoc, the federation’s financial watchdog, escalated the matter.

The FIGC also said Brescia had failed to pay a 1.1 million euros ($1.30 million) debt to Serie B as of January 31 and also had unpaid debts to players and coaching staff.

Though Cellino claimed he’d been defrauded, these explanations did not convince authorities. The FIGC tribunal also issued six-month bans for Cellino and his son Edoardo.

License Denied, Professional Future Ends

A founding Serie A club in 1929, Brescia spent 23 top-flight seasons and nurtured stars like Roberto Baggio, Andrea Pirlo, Luca Toni, Pep Guardiola, and Mario Balotelli.

Despite attempts at arranging investments and appealing, Brescia missed the June 6 deadline to register for Serie C.

On July 3, the FIGC officially revoked their licence, voided all player and staff contracts, and relegated the club to amateur ranks, possibly Serie D or lower.

(with agency inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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