The 2020–21 season was Associazione Calcio Monza's 39th season—and 1st in 19 years—in the Serie B, the second level of Italian football. The club participated in the Serie B, finishing third, and reached the fourth round of the Coppa Italia. In the promotion play-offs, Monza lost to Cittadella 3–2 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
Pre-season and friendlies On 5 September 2020, Monza played a friendly against Serie A side AC Milan, at the San Siro. Silvio Berlusconi, Monza's president, and Adriano Galliani, the club's chairman, were formerly part of Milan. The two had won 29 trophies in 31 years with the Serie A club. Davide Calabria gave Milan the lead with a shot from outside the box in the 6th minute of play. In the 23rd minute, Mattia Finotto leveled the score after beating goalkeeper Antonio Donnarumma one-on-one. Three goals by Daniel Maldini, Pierre Kalulu, and Lorenzo Colombo gave Milan the 4–1 win.
Monza played three more friendlies: a 2–1 win against Lecco, won thanks to an 86th-minute goal by new signing Mirko Marić, a 1–1 draw against Vicenza, in which Finotto scored Monza's goal, and a 1–0 win against Alessandria, with new signing Christian Gytkjær scoring the lone goal of the game. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, all four friendlies were played behind closed doors.
Results list Monza's goal tally first. DateOpponentVenueResultScorers5 September 2020AC MilanAway1–4Finotto 23'8 September 2020LeccoHome2–1Mosti 10', Marić 86'11 September 2020VicenzaNeutral1–1Finotto 27'18 September 2020AlessandriaHome1–0Gytkjær 67'
Serie B
Overview Having won Group A of the 2019–20 Serie C, Monza were promoted back to the Serie B after a 19-year absence from the competition. Monza began their season in September with a 0–0 draw at home to newly relegated SPAL, with Gytkjær missing a penalty for Monza. In October two more draws ensued: another goalless draw, against Empoli, and a 1–1 draw to Pisa, with Davide Frattesi scoring Monza's first goal in the Serie B in 19 years. Monza's first defeat of the season came in the form of a 2–1 defeat at home against Chievo, where Monza's Antonino Barillà was sent off in the 43rd minute. Monza's first Serie B win in 19 years came away to Cittadella, winning 2–1 through two penalties. In November the team won their second league game in a row, beating Frosinone 2–0 at home. Following the international break, Monza drew 1–1 away to Pordenone, then won 1–0 at home to a 10-man Reggina.
In December Monza drew 1–1 to Vicenza in a match postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and then lost their second game of the season away to Reggiana in a 3–0 defeat. Monza rebounded from their previous defeat, defeating Venezia 2–0 away from home, and Virtus Entella 5–0 at home in their largest season victory to date through braces by Kevin-Prince Boateng and Mario Sampirisi. The two wins were followed by a 3–2 defeat away from home to Pescara, with Monza's Filippo Scaglia being sent off in the 62nd minute. Former Pescara player Davide Bettella scored two goals for Monza. Following their defeat, Monza beat Ascoli 2–0 at home, and Cremonese 2–0 away. They then beat league leaders Salernitana 3–0 at home, with new signing Mario Balotelli scoring a goal. Monza moved up to third place before the end of 2020.
Monza started 2021 with a 0–0 draw to Lecce. After a two-week break, they wasted a 2–0 lead to 16th-placed Cosenza, conceding two goals to draw 2–2. Monza finished the first leg with a 1–0 away win over cross-region rivals Brescia, climbing to second place. In the second leg, Monza drew 1–1 away to SPAL, and drew by the same result at home against league-leaders Empoli in February. They then returned to victory by beating Vicenza 2–1 away from home, before Pisa interrupted their nine-game unbeaten streak, losing 2–0 at home. Monza rebounded from their defeat by beating Chievo 1–0 away, returning to second place, then drew 0–0 at home to Cittadella. In March they drew 2–2 away to Frosinone, before returning to win at home for the first time in over two months, beating Pordenone 2–0. Monza then lost 1–0 to 14th-placed Reggina away from home, beat Reggiana 2–0 at home, and lost to Venezia 4–1, also at home, through a Mattia Aramu hat-trick.
Monza began April with two 1–1 draws to the two bottom-placed teams, Virtus Entella and Pescara, and a 1–0 defeat to 17th-placed Ascoli. They then returned to victory after four games, beating Cremonese 2–1 at home. In May, fourth-placed Monza played their last four games of the regular season against Salernitana and Lecce, respectively in third and second place, Brescia and Cosenza. By winning the first two games, 3–1 and 1–0 respectively, Monza shortened the gap with their opponents and climbed to third place, on par with Lecce and two points from Salernitana in second place. They finished in third place in the regular season, after beating Cosenza 3–0 and losing to Brescia 2–0, qualifying to the promotion play-offs semi-finals.
Matches Results list Monza's goal tally first. DateOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendancePosition25 September 2020SPALHome0–095613th3 October 2020EmpoliAway0–066913th20 October 2020PisaAway1–1Frattesi 46'54913th24 October 2020ChievoHome1–2Boateng 29' (pen.)67015th31 October 2020CittadellaAway2–1Boateng 10' (pen.), Gytkjær 18' (pen.)011th7 November 2020FrosinoneHome2–0Gytkjær 51', Mota 70'09th21 November 2020PordenoneAway1–1Marić 56'09th28 November 2020RegginaHome1–0Mota 54'09th2 December 2020VicenzaHome1–1Marić 18'09th5 December 2020ReggianaAway0–309th12 December 2020VeneziaAway2–0Carlos 63', Mota 90'07th15 December 2020Virtus EntellaHome5–0Boateng (2) 10', 29', Mota 73', Sampirisi (2) 82', 90'08th19 December 2020PescaraAway2–3Bettella (2) 26', 84'08th22 December 2020AscoliHome2–0Carlos 34', Frattesi 88'06th27 December 2020CremoneseAway2–0Barillà 14', Frattesi 76'04th30 December 2020SalernitanaHome3–0Balotelli 4', Barillà 45', Armellino 90+5'03rd3 January 2021LecceAway0–003rd16 January 2021CosenzaHome2–2Barillà 8', Gytkjær 26'04th25 January 2021BresciaAway1–0Frattesi 55'02nd30 January 2021SPALAway1–1Gytkjær 13'02nd6 February 2021EmpoliHome1–1Boateng 70' (pen.)02nd9 February 2021VicenzaAway2–1Mota 82', D'Alessandro 85'02nd13 February 2021PisaHome0–203rd20 February 2021ChievoAway1–0Balotelli 60'02nd27 February 2021CittadellaHome0–002nd2 March 2021FrosinoneAway2–2Paletta 19', Gytkjær 43'03rd6 March 2021PordenoneHome2–0Frattesi 26', Gytkjær 62' (pen.)02nd13 March 2021RegginaAway0–102nd16 March 2021ReggianaHome2–0Carlos 12', Colpani 84'02nd20 March 2021VeneziaHome1–4Armellino 58'04th2 April 2021Virtus EntellaAway1–1Scaglia 88'03rd5 April 2021PescaraHome1–1Frattesi 23'04th10 April 2021AscoliAway0–105th17 April 2021CremoneseHome2–1Frattesi 34', Mota 38'04th1 May 2021SalernitanaAway3–1Frattesi 49', Balotelli (2) 81', 90'+1'04th4 May 2021LecceHome1–0Barberis 41'03rd7 May 2021CosenzaAway3–0Balotelli 73', D'Errico 82', Diaw 88'03rd10 May 2021BresciaHome0–203rd
League table
Serie B promotion play-offs
Overview Having finished the regular season in third place, Monza gained direct access to the semi-finals of the promotion play-offs. Monza played on 17 and 20 May 2021 against Cittadella, who beat Brescia in the previous round. In the first leg of the semi-finals, Cittadella won 3–0 through an Enrico Baldini hat-trick. Needing to win by at least three goals at home, Monza took the lead in the 58th minute through a Mario Balotelli goal, before Marco D'Alessandro doubled the lead 20 minutes later. The match ended 2–0, and Monza were eliminated from the play-offs.
Matches Results list Monza's goal tally first. DateRoundOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendance17 May 2021Semi-finalCittadellaAway0–3020 May 2021Semi-finalCittadellaHome2–0Balotelli 58', D'Alessandro 78'0
Bracket
Coppa Italia
As a Serie B side, Monza entered the Coppa Italia in the second round. The draw gave Monza a home tie on 29 September against Triestina, who Monza beat 3–0. Monza played in the third round on 27 October against Pordenone. Despite being reduced to 10 men in the 41st minute, after Edoardo Colferai received his second yellow card, Monza held on to a goalless draw, with the scoreline remaining the same after extra time. In the penalty shoot-out, Daniele Sommariva saved two penalties to help Monza advance to the next round. Monza played the fourth round on 24 November against SPAL; second-half goals by Alberto Paloschi and Enrico Brignola eliminated Monza from the competition.
Results list Monza's goal tally first. DateRoundOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendance29 September 2020Second roundTriestinaHome3–0Barillà 23', Mota 77', Machín (pen.)43927 October 2020Third roundPordenoneAway0–0 (a.e.t.)(4–1 p)025 November 2020Fourth roundSPALAway0–20
Player details
Transfers Summer In +ArrivalsDatePos.NameFromTypeFee9 June 2020MF Andrea BarberisCrotoneFree transferN/A22 July 2020FW Christian Gytkjær Lech PoznańFree transferN/A11 August 2020FW Mirko Marić OsijekPermanentUndisclosed12 August 2020DF Giulio DonatiLecceFree transferN/A22 August 2020MF Andrea ColpaniAtalantaTwo-year loanN/A25 August 2020DF Antonino BarillàParmaFree transferN/A27 August 2020GK Michele Di GregorioInter MilanLoanN/A28 August 2020DF Carlos Augusto CorinthiansPermanentUndisclosed11 September 2020DF Davide BettellaAtalantaTwo-year loanN/A16 September 2020MF Davide FrattesiSassuoloLoanN/A28 September 2020MF Kevin-Prince BoatengFiorentinaPermanentUndisclosed1 October 2020FW Antonio Marin Dinamo ZagrebLoanN/A5 October 2020DF Lorenzo PirolaInter MilanLoanN/AOther transfersDatePos.NameFromTypeFee1 July 2020FW Ettore GliozziSassuoloLoan redemptionUndisclosedMF José MachínParmaLoan redemptionUndisclosedMF Tommaso MorosiniSüdtirolLoan redemptionUndisclosedMF Nicola MostiJuventusLoan redemptionUndisclosedFW Dany MotaJuventusLoan redemptionUndisclosedMF Andrea PalazziInter MilanLoan redemptionUndisclosedMF Gianluca BarbaPontederaReturn from loanN/AMF Alessandro Di MunnoVis PesaroReturn from loanN/AFW Luca GiudiciLeccoReturn from loanN/AMF Filippo LoraRavennaReturn from loanN/AMF Federico MarchesiLeccoReturn from loanN/AFW Ettore MarchiJuventus U23Return from loanN/ADF Stefano NegroViterbeseReturn from loanN/AFW Hervé OtéléMilano CityReturn from loanN/AMF Luca PalesiPro PatriaReturn from loanN/AFW Giacomo TomaselliGozzanoReturn from loanN/A
Out DeparturesDatePos.NameToTypeFee1 July 2020MF Giorgio GalliReleasedN/AFW Ettore MarchiReleasedN/AMF Nicola RautiTorinoReturn from loanN/A20 August 2020DF Ivan MarconiPalermoPermanentUndisclosed2 September 2020FW Andrea BrighentiJuventusPermanentUndisclosedDF Michele FrancoPro SestoPermanentUndisclosed5 September 2020MF Andrea PalazziPalermoLoanN/A16 September 2020DF Stefano NegroPerugiaLoanN/A17 September 2020MF Alessandro Di MunnoPro SestoLoanN/A21 September 2020MF Tommaso MorosiniFeralpisalòLoanN/AGK Federico Del FratePro SestoLoanN/A23 September 2020MF Cosimo ChiricòAscoliPermanentUndisclosedMF Simone IocolanoLeccoPermanentUndisclosed24 September 2020FW Ettore GliozziCosenzaLoanN/A1 October 2020MF Nicola MostiJuventusLoanN/A6 October 2020DF Armando Anastasio RijekaLoanN/AOther transfersDatePos.NameToTypeFee1 July 2020MF Gianluca BarbaReleasedN/AMF Luca GiudiciReleasedN/AFW Hervé OtéléReleasedN/AMF Luca PalesiReleasedN/AFW Giacomo TomaselliReleasedN/A21 September 2020MF Federico MarchesiPro SestoPermanentUndisclosed30 September 2020MF Filippo LoraLeccoPermanentUndisclosed5 October 2020DF Maicol OriglioReleasedN/A
Winter In +ArrivalsDatePos.NameFromTypeFee7 December 2020FW Mario BalotelliUnattachedFree transferN/A5 January 2021MF Matteo ScozzarellaParmaPermanentUndisclosed12 January 2021FW Federico RicciSassuoloSix-month loanN/A27 January 2021FW Marco D'AlessandroSPALPermanentUndisclosed29 January 2021FW Davide DiawPordenonePermanentUndisclosedOther transfersDatePos.NameFromTypeFee18 January 2021DF Armando Anastasio RijekaReturn from loanN/A1 February 2021MF Nicola MostiAscoliReturn from loanN/A
Out