Salernitana request Serie B play-off postponement after players hospitalised by food poisoning - 'We are shocked,' says CEO
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Updated 16/06/2025 at 23:39 GMT+1
Italian side Salernitana have requested their Serie B relegation play-off decider with Sampdoria be postponed after some of the team were struck down by a bout of food poisoning. "Many players and staff are not even able to resume training," said club CEO, Maurizio Milan. Players and staff became unwell on the way back from the first leg against Sampdoria, which they lost 2-0.
Salernitana
Image credit: Getty Images
Salernitana’s hopes of remaining in the second tier of Italian football have been dealt a major blow after some of the team were hit by a nasty bout of food poisoning.
Twenty-one players and staff members became unwell on Sunday as they returned from a 2–0 defeat to Sampdoria in the first leg of their Serie B relegation play-off.
Ambulances awaited their arrival back at Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport on Sunday, with many of those affected taken to hospital.
The club cancelled Monday's training session and have now formally asked for Friday’s deciding return leg to be postponed.
"We are sincerely shocked by what happened and by the series of events that risk undermining Salernitana’s regular and peaceful approach to the final and fundamental minutes of the season," said club CEO, Maurizio Milan.
"Many players and staff, at the moment, are not even able to show up at the sports centre to resume training."
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Sampdoria V Salernitana
Image credit: Getty Images
Salernitana are facing potential back-to-back relegations after finishing bottom of Italy’s Serie A in the 2023/24 season.Â
Another disappointing 2024/25 campaign saw them come 16th in the 20-team Serie B. As they ended the season within five points of 17th-placed Sampdoria, league rules require the two sides to face-off in a relegation play-off to decide the fourth team to go down to the third division.
The relegation battle in Serie B this season has been nothing short of eventful.
Salernitana were originally set to face Frosinone in the play-off, but a late points deduction for Brescia saw them slip to 18th place and suffer automatic relegation. That twist spared Frosinone and handed Sampdoria an unexpected lifeline - a chance to fight for survival in the play-off instead.
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Salernitana now face an anxious wait to see whether their request for a postponement is granted - or if their players recover in time.
The southern Italian club have also requested an investigation to "ascertain the causes of this widespread and serious episode."
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