SS Audace Cerignola

Audace Cerignola
Full nameSocietà Sportiva
Audace Cerignola srl
Founded1912 (1912)
GroundStadio Domenico Monterisi,
Cerignola, Italy
Capacity8,000
ChairmanNicola Grieco
ManagerVincenzo Maiuri
LeagueSerie C Group C
2024–25Serie C Group C, 2nd of 20

S.S. Audace Cerignola, commonly known as Audace Cerignola or simply Cerignola, is an Italian association football club from Cerignola, Apulia. They play in the Serie C Group C.

History

The club was originally founded in 1912 as Gruppo Sportivo Cerignola. They played Serie C from 1935 to 1937, after which they exclusively took part at amateur leagues.

The club voluntarily stepped out in 2013 due to financial issues, and restarted from Prima Categoria only a year later. In 2017 they returned to play Serie D, a league they had not played since the year 2000.

In 2019, Audace Cerignola ended the season in an impressive second place, behind AZ Picerno; in the following playoffs, they made it to the final, where they defeated Taranto, thus ensuring a priority slot in the Serie C repechages.

However, due to a number stadium-related issues, the Italian Football Federation denied Serie C entry to the club.[1] After winning a first appeal to the Italian National Olympic Committee Court,[2] and FIGC declining Audace Cerignola's admission due to other stadium-related technicalities,[3] on 5 August 2019 the CONI Court once again overturned the latter's decision, confirming Audace Cerignola's right to take part in the 2019–20 Serie C.[4]

Audace Cerignola were finally promoted to Serie C in the 2021–22 Serie D season, as Group H champions, under the guidance of head coach Michele Pazienza.[5]

Current squad

As of 16 September 2025[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ITA Stefano Greco
2 DF  ITA Gianmarco Todisco (on loan from Avellino)
3 DF  ITA Luca Russo
4 MF  ITA Gaetano Vitale
5 DF  ITA Luca Martinelli
6 DF  ARG Santiago Visentin
7 FW  GRE Athanasios Dabizas
9 FW  ITA Diego Gambale
10 MF  ITA Lorenzo Paolucci
11 MF  ARG Giancarlo Bianchini
12 GK  ITA Alfonso Rizzuto
15 DF  ITA Alessandro Ligi
17 FW  ITA Ernesto Ballabile
19 DF  ARG Gianfranco Giuliodori
20 MF  ESP Miguel Ángel
22 GK  ITA Giuseppe Fares
No. Pos. Nation Player
23 DF  ITA Andrea Gasbarro
24 MF  ESP Oscar Moreso
25 DF  ITA Riccardo Spaltro
29 FW  ITA Luigi Cuppone
31 GK  BUL Velizar-Iliya Iliev (on loan from Cagliari)
33 FW  ITA Ludovico D'Orazio
45 DF  ITA Martin Cocorocchio
48 FW  ITA Nicolas Iurilli
50 FW  ITA Alessandro Carnevale
58 MF  ITA Carmine Cretella
71 MF  ITA Donato Ianzano
83 MF  ITA Zak Ruggiero (on loan from Trapani)
86 DF  ITA Ruggero Labranca
90 FW  ITA Michele Emmausso
99 DF  ITA Claudio Parlato

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
FW  NGA Jerry Okoh (at Manfredonia until 30 June 2026)
FW  ITA Antonio Sabbatani (at Sorrento until 30 June 2026)
No. Pos. Nation Player
FW  ALB Enis Tozaj (at Sestri Levante until 30 June 2026)

References

  1. ^ "Ripescaggi e Riammissioni Serie B e Serie C: le decisioni del Consiglio Federale" (in Italian). Ysport.eu. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Accolti ricorsi sia di Bisceglie che Cerignola. Girone C a 21 squadre?" (in Italian). Sporterni. 23 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Figc: Bisceglie in C, respinto il Cerignola" (in Italian). Teleregione. 25 July 2019. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Serie C: Audace Cerignola ripescata, accolto il ricorso dal Collegio di Garanzia del Coni" (in Italian). SKY Sport Italia. 5 August 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Cerignola in festa: l'Audace è in Serie C" (in Italian). FoggiaToday. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Italy - USD Audace Cerignola - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2022.