| 2002–03 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Pasquale Foti |
| Manager | Bortolo Mutti Luigi De Canio |
| Serie A | 14th |
| Coppa Italia | Last 16 |
| Top goalscorer | Emiliano Bonazzoli (7) Shunsuke Nakamura (7) David Di Michele (7) |
Reggina Calcio just renewed its Serie A contract, thanks to a late surge in the league competition and a successful spareggio against Atalanta. Reggina drew 0-0 at home, and then turned around a deficit to win 2-1 away from home, with Francesco Cozza and Emiliano Bonazzoli being the match-winners. The player who got the most headlines during the season was Japanese playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura, who scored seven goals and created several others. He also helped Reggina to get onto the Asian market, so the signing was largely hailed as a genial manoeuvre by president Pasquale Foti.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Modena | 34 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 30 | 48 | −18 | 38 [lower-alpha 1] | |
| 13 | Empoli | 34 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 36 | 46 | −10 | 38 [lower-alpha 1] | |
| 14 | Reggina | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 38 | 53 | −15 | 38 [lower-alpha 1] | Relegation tie-breaker |
| 15 | Atalanta (R) | 34 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 35 | 47 | −12 | 38 | Serie B after tie-breaker [lower-alpha 2] |
| 16 | Piacenza (R) | 34 | 8 | 6 | 20 | 44 | 62 | −18 | 30 | Relegation to Serie B |
Reggina qualified for the 2003-04 Serie A .
Udinese Calcio bounced back from the hugely disappointing 2001–02 Serie A season, in which it only just managed to avoid relegation. Under new coach Luciano Spalletti, Udinese gathered strength, and was a constant feature on the top half of the league table. Even though the squad lacked the goalscoring punch, the defence led by Néstor Sensini and surprising goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis held it together to such a degree it finished sixth in the league. Also Czech signing Marek Jankulovski impressed, the Napoli signing switching form left-wing to left back, causing interest from several bigger clubs. In the offence, Udinese's most influential player was David Pizarro, who scored seven times from the midfield and grabbed the attention from Lazio, who tried to sign him and teammate Martin Jørgensen immediately after the season had finished. Undisclosed Lazio players refused moving to Udine as compensation for the transfers, and both stayed on, much to the relief of Spalletti.
A.C. Perugia were relegated from Serie A with a bang, following a chaotic season, in which president Luciano Gaucci managed to upset the Italian football society, by claiming that the referees' were deliberately trying to relegate Perugia to Serie B. Prior to the season, he performed a PR-stunt, when signing Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Al-Saadi Gaddafi He also continued trying to sign female players, trying to sign both Hanna Ljungberg and Victoria Svensson, according to Swedish daily Aftonbladet.
A.C. Perugia finished tenth in Serie A, and reached the semis of the Coppa Italia in a successful season by the club's standards.
A.C. ChievoVerona played its second consecutive season in Serie A, and nearly equaled 5th place from the 2001-02 Serie A season. The club's second season in the premier division was played without Christian Manfredini and Bernardo Corradi, both ending up with Lazio. Due to passport troubles, it also lost key winger Eriberto, who turned out to be four years older and called Luciano, but had faked his identity since he was 21, in order to participate in a Brazilian youth team.
Udinese Calcio had its most successful season for seven years, in which it reached the Champions League thanks to a stable fundament in the team, with several players attractive for bigger clubs. Following the season, coach Luciano Spalletti left to take over Roma, while playmaker David Pizarro was sold to Inter.
U.C. Sampdoria returned to Serie A after a four year-absence, and immediately re-established itself as a team on the top half of the domestic championship. Goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli offered crucial experience, but apart from him did the bulk of the squad play in the 2002-03 Serie B, with top goalscorers Fabio Bazzani and Francesco Flachi quickly adjusting themselves to the higher pace of Serie A. Midfielders Sergio Volpi and Angelo Palombo also stood out. Right back Aimo Diana even earned a call-up to the national team following his performances.
U.C. Sampdoria had a successful season in the domestic league, finishing in sixth place. The club also captured Antonio Cassano from Real Madrid, with the notorious troublemaker settling in well at Sampdoria, helping the club to European qualification. The season also saw the first Serie A derbies between Sampdoria and Genoa C.F.C. since 1995, with Sampdoria winning the second one with 1-0, following a goalless draw in the beginning of the league campaign.
Reggina Calcio were relegated following losing three key players in the summer of 2000. Despite goalkeeper Massimo Taibi being in full form following his Manchester United debacle, Reggina had serious goal scoring problems without departed striker Mohamed Kallon. With Davide Dionigi arriving from Sampdoria mid-season, Reggina solved that problem, and Dionigi's six goals led to a spareggio for the Serie A stay, a double-header Reggina lost. Coach Franco Colomba was not blamed for the relegation, and was given the all-clear to stay for a further season, with Reggina one of the favourites to bounce back to the top domestic division.
Reggina Calcio was re-promoted to Serie A, following a reliable performance in the 2001–02 Serie B, following its narrow relegation from the top tier. With Gianluca Savoldi and Davide Dionigi being supported by playmaker Francesco Cozza, Reggina had one of the most effective offenses in the league, and the third place was well clear of fifth-placed Napoli, the club which signed Reggina's successful coach Franco Colomba following the season's end.
Reggina Calcio did renew its Serie A contract on the second consecutive occasion, ensuring the longest stay of the Calabrian club in the top division of Italian football. With returning coach Franco Colomba not being successful in his third stay at the club, Giancarlo Camolese guided the side to 13th place in the league. With only 29 goals scored, Reggina relied heavily on its defence for the survival, and Martin Jiránek plus defensive midfielder Davide Baiocco strengthened their reputations. After the season, Baiocco returned to Juventus, who in turn loaned him out to Reggina's arch-rivals Messina, newcomers for the 2004–05 season, setting up the first Messina strait derby in the highest division ever.
Reggina Calcio took major steps in establishing itself in Serie A under new coach Walter Mazzarri. The relegation battle was the tightest ever, but Reggina's points average was its highest in the top division yet, resulting in a surprising 10th place. That also meant it lost several key players, with Shunsuke Nakamura, Martin Jiránek and Emiliano Bonazzoli being hard to replace.
Reggina Calcio extended its stay in Serie A by a further season, despite being charged with involvement in Calciopoli at the end of the term. Reggina was allowed to retain its Serie A status, but was demoted eleven points out of its 2006-07 campaign, leading to the general consensus that its time in the top-flight division was running out, given that it had only sealed its Serie A stays by the shallowest of margins before.
Reggina Calcio was thought to be a prime candidate to be relegated in the 2006-07 season, since it had been deducted eleven points for its involvement in Calciopoli. At no stage had Reggina renewed its contract with more than a point or two, and therefore its 51 points in 38 games was a very high yield. The Serie A stay was extended thanks to the successful striking force of Rolando Bianchi and Nicola Amoruso, scoring an unprecedented 35 goals between them. Bianchi headed for Manchester City in the summer, and successful coach Walter Mazzarri found a new berth at Sampdoria.
Reggina Calcio managed to save its Serie A berth at the last minute, for the sixth consecutive season. Nicola Amoruso delivered 12 goals, which was five goals fewer than in the previous season, but enough to land a deal with Torino for the next season.
Reggina Calcio finally dropped out of Serie A, following seven years of balancing around the drop zone. Following its previous six years, the club had stayed in Serie A by less than three points on all occasions. In 2008–09, Reggina dropped off the pace mid-season and was nowhere near survival.
Atalanta B.C. lost its momentum it had built in its first two Serie A seasons in its stint, eventually being relegated following a playoff against Reggina. The championship was such competitive than Atalanta was only four points away from repeating its 9th place from the 2001-02 season, but instead had to face Serie B competition, losing key players such as Cristiano Doni, Luciano Zauri and Ousmane Dabo to bigger clubs.
Piacenza Calcio were relegated in the second season in the top echelon of Italian football. Coach Andrea Agostinelli was soon sacked, but Luigi Cagni could not save Piacenza from going down.
During the 2002–03 Italian football season, Empoli F.C. competed in the Serie A.
During the 2002–03 Italian football season, Bologna F.C. 1909 competed in the Serie A.
During the 2002–03 Italian football season, Como Calcio competed in the Serie A.
