Messina and Levante go up
Saturday, June 5, 2004
Article summary
Italian side Messina FC and Spanish team Levante UD both secured promotion to their top flights today.
Article body
Italian side Messina FC and Spanish team Levante UD will be playing top-flight football next season after securing promotion today.
Four up so far
Messina are the second Sicilian club to gain a Serie A place after US Città di Palermo, who last week ensured a top-flight berth with Cagliari Calcio and Livorno ASC. A 3-0 win against Como Calcio sealed Messina's place in the expanded top division with one game to spare.
Further places
Atalanta BC lie fifth and need just a draw next week against Salernita Sport to go up. If Atalanta lose AC Fiorentina will overtake them by beating Palermo. Otherwise Fiorentina will meet AC Perugia in a play-off, with the losers joining relegated Ancona Calcio, Modena FC and Empoli FC in next season's Serie B.
Levante joy
Meanwhile, Levante continued a season of celebration in Valencia by securing a Primera División place. The Spanish top-flight and the UEFA Cup were won by Valencia CF this season and their city rivals beat Xerez CD 2-1 today to become the first second division team to guarantee a top-three finish. Levante's only previous time in the Primera División came between 1963 and 1965.
