Italian club Spezia clinched promotion to Serie A for the first time in their 114-year history after coming out on top in a play-off behind closed doors followed by thousands of their fans outside the stadium.
The team known as the ‘Eagles’ hail from the seaside town of La Spezia in Liguria, southeast of Genoa.
Serie A will now include three clubs from Liguria – Spezia, Sampdoria and Genoa.
“Congratulations Spezia: you wrote history, now enjoy the party. See you soon!” Claudio Ranieri’s Sampdoria wrote on Twitter.
Despite losing the second leg of their clash at home to Frosinone by 1-0 to leave the tie at 1-1 on aggregate, Spezia were promoted due to their better position in the Serie B table.
They had finished third while Frosinone, coached by former Italian international Alessandro Nesta, were only eighth.
Spezia will join fellow promoted sides Benevento and Crotone in the top flight, with Lecce, Brescia and SPAL relegated with the new season getting under way on 19 September.
