The 1982-83 season opened with bang. After Italy’s win in Spain in the World Cup, all suspensions of players involved in the Totonero scandal of 1980 were cut by two years. This meant that Lazio now could rely on Bruno Giordano and Lionello Manfredonia and as a consequence were one of the favourites for promotion.
Other favourites were Milan. They had been relegated the previous year following a disastrous season and had a new manager, Ilario Castagner. Due to the drop into the second tier they had sold World Champion Fulvio Collovati to Inter in exchange for the loan of three players including Aldo Serena. They still had Franco Baresi and Mauro Tassotti in the team and had also signed veteran Oscar Damiani.
The other two teams that had been relegated last year were Bologna, for the first time in their history, and Como, so as a consequence they too were considered among the favourites. Varese and Bari, who had just missed out on promotion in the previous season’s Serie B could be considered as outsiders.
What happened in Serie B
September
Three games to begin the season. Great start for Atalanta, a slow one for Lazio and Bologna but even Milan with two draws in three games couldn't be too happy. But there was a long way to go.
Atalanta 6, Catania 5, Campobasso 5, Cremonese 4, Milan 4, Cavese 4, Varese 3, Pistoiese 3, Arezzo 3, Como 3, Foggia 3, Lazio 3, Sambenedettese 3, Perugia 2, Bari 2, Lecce 2, Bologna 2, Monza 1, Palermo 1, Reggiana 1
October
In the next five games Lazio won four but lost at Bologna, who looked as if they were still struggling to come to terms with the Serie B reality. Milan, who thrashed Bologna 5-0, were ahead as predicted, Atalanta had fallen back, and Arezzo were surprisingly second.
Milan 13, Arezzo 12, Lazio 11, Cremonese 10, Cavese 10, Catania 10, Palermo 9, Campobasso 9, Como 8, Atalanta 8, Perugia 8, Varese 7, Foggia 7, Bologna 7, Lecce 6, Sambenedettese 6, Pistoiese 6, Monza 5, Reggiana 4, Bari 4
November
Four games. Lazio won all four and took the lead whereas Milan faltered a bit and lost at home to Cavese. All very tight with just the two points for a victory. Anything could still happen.
Lazio 19, Milan 18, Cremonese 15, Arezzo 15, Catania 14, Como 14, Cavese 14, Palermo 12, Sambenedettese 12, Atalanta 12, Campobasso 12, Lecce 11, Bologna 11, Reggiana 10, Pistoiese 10, Varese 10, Foggia 9, Perugia 8, Bari 7, Monza 5
December
Three games to end the year. Just before Christmas the big match between Lazio and Milan at the Olimpico finished 2-2, with the Rossoneri twice ahead. Lazio kept the lead, Cavese crept up into third place but it was still very tight. Bologna were not doing well but there were 12 teams in 3 points in the bottom half, so there was still room to improve.
Lazio 23, Milan 21, Cavese 19, Catania 18, Cremonese 18, Arezzo 18, Lecce 17, Como 17, Sambenedettese 14, Palermo 14, Atalanta 13, Campobasso 13, Bologna 13, Reggiana 12, Pistoiese 12, Varese 12, Bari 12, Foggia 12, Perugia 11, Monza 11
January
Five games to begin the year. Lazio slowed down and were caught up by Milan. Cavese were third ahead of Como, Catania and Cremonese. Reggiana fell back a bit and were bottom.
Milan 28, Lazio 28, Cavese 26, Como 25, Catania 24, Cremonese 24, Arezzo 23, Lecce 20, Palermo 19, Varese 19, Campobasso 19, Bologna 19, Perugia 17, Sambenedettese 17, Atalanta 17, Bari 16, Pistoiese 15, Foggia 15, Monza 15, Reggiana 12
February
3 games. Milan took the lead as Lazio started to be in difficulty. Big battle behind them with four teams in 2 points. At the bottom of the table anything could still happen since there were 13 of them trying to avoid relegation, including promotion favourites Bologna, Bari and Varese.
Milan 31, Lazio 30, Cremonese 28, Cavese 28, Catania 27, Como 27, Arezzo 25, Palermo 23, Lecce 23, Varese 22, Perugia 21, Sambenedettese 21, Atalanta 21, Campobasso 21, Bologna 20, Bari 19, Foggia 19, Pistoiese 18, Reggiana 18, Monza 18
March
4 games. Milan flew off, Lazio improved and now there was a bigger gap behind the two frontrunners . Bologna and Bari needed to wake up pretty soon. The Rossoblu drew with Lazio but lost to Milan.
Milan 39, Lazio 36, Catania 32, Como 31, Cremonese 31, Cavese 31, Arezzo 29, Lecce 26, Varese 26, Campobasso 26, Sambenedettese 25, Atalanta 25, Palermo 25, Pistoiese 23, Perugia 23, Reggiana 23, Foggia 23, Bologna 23, Monza 22, Bari 21
April
4 games. Lazio lost ground but were still second. Como edged to third but Cremonese, Catania and Cavese were close behind. Monza pulled away from the bottom while Bari and Bologna were in trouble.
Milan 42, Lazio 39, Como 37, Cremonese 36, Catania 35, Cavese 35, Sambenedettese 31, Arezzo 31, Monza 30, Lecce 30, Atalanta 29, Perugia 29, Varese 29, Campobasso 29, Pistoiese 28, Palermo 28, Foggia 26, Reggiana 26, Bologna 26, Bari 24
May
5 games that decided almost everything. Milan thrashed Lazio 5-1 in the 34th match and were virtually in Serie A. Behind the Rossoneri, all on 40 points, were Lazio, Catania, Cremonese and Cavese, with Como a further two points back. A mini tournament would decide which other two teams were to join Milan.
In the 35th game Lazio won, beating Atalanta. Cremonese and Catania drew, Como beat Cavese, hence Lazio 42, Catania & Cremonese 41, Como & Cavese 40.
In game 36 they all drew except Catania who won. Lazio & Catania 43, Cremonese 42, Como & Cavese 41.
In game 37, the big match Lazio-Catania finished 2-1 so the Biancocelesti needed just one more point to be promoted, Cremonese needed 2. Behind, Pistoiese and Palermo needed just one point to avoid relegation, Foggia and Bari were already in Serie C, Reggiana and Bologna almost.
Milan 53, Lazio 45, Cremonese 44, Catania 43, Como 43, Cavese 41, Monza 37, Perugia 36, Varese 36, Atalanta 35, Sambenedettese 35, Arezzo 35, Campobasso 35, Lecce 34, Pistoiese 33, Palermo 33, Reggiana 31, Bologna 31, Foggia 30, Bari 30
June
In the final game, Lazio managed to get the point they needed and joined Milan in Serie A. Cremonese drew, Catania and Como won so there would be a three team playoff to determine who was to play in Serie A next season. Reggiana, Bologna, Foggia and Bari went down to the third tier.
In the playoff, Catania beat Como in the first game while Como and Crmonese drew in the second. In the final match Cremonese were unable to beat Catania who clinched third place and would play in Serie A the next season.
Top scorer in Serie B was Bruno Giordano with 18 goals.
Milan 54, Lazio 46, Catania 45, Cremonese 45, Como 45, Cavese 42, Monza 38, Atalanta 37, Sambenedettese 37, Varese 37, Perugia 36, Arezzo 36, Campobasso 36, Pistoiese 34, Palermo 34, Lecce 34, Reggiana 32, Bologna 32, Foggia 30, Bari 30
Serie A
Final Serie A Table: Roma 43, Juventus 39, Inter 38, Verona 35, Fiorentina 34, Udinese 32, Sampdoria 31, Torino 30, Avellino 28, Napoli 28, Pisa 27, Genoa 27, Ascoli 27, Cagliari 26, Cesena 22, Catanzaro 13
Juventus won the Coppa Italia beating Verona 3-2 on aggregate. The Bianconeri were beaten in the final of the European Cup by Hamburg whilst Inter were knocked out by Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the Cup Winners Cup. In the UEFA Cup Fiorentina were eliminated in the first round by Universitatea Craiova, Napoli in the second by Kaiserslautern and Roma in the quarterfinals by Sven-Goran Erikksson’s Benfica.
Roma would be in the European Cup the following season, Juventus in the Cup Winners Cup, Inter and Verona in the UEFA Cup.
Cagliari, Cesena and Catanzaro were relegated to Serie B.
Top scorer in Serie A was Michel Platini with 16 goals.