Chelsea's Ethan Ampadu has suffered relegation heartbreak for the third successive season with the defender unable to prevent Spezia from dropping out of Serie A.
Spezia had been forced into relegation play-off after finishing level on points with Hellas Verona at the end of the season.
Serie A had reintroduced a rule at the start of the campaign to hold a play-off should teams in 17th and 18th be tied on points, rather than determine the final relegated side on goal difference.
Spezia had finished 17th and would have stayed in the top flight under the previous system.
Ampadu had brought Spezia level in the play-off with Verona, with the Welsh international scoring from distance in the 15th minute to cancel out David Faraoni's early opener.
The effort was the 22-year-old's first goal in senior football.
Cyril Ngonge proved the hero for Verona, with the Belgian scoring twice to give his side a 3-1 advantage.
Spezia were unable to mount a comeback despite Verona goalscorer Faraoni being sent off for a deliberate handball in the second half, with M'Bala Nzola missing the resulting penalty.
The 3-1 defeat ended Spezia's three year stay in Serie A, while it marked the third consecutive season Amapdu has featured in a side that has been relegated.
Ampadu, who made 34 appearances for Spezia during a season-long loan, had been part of the Venezia side to have finished bottom of Serie A last season.
He was also part of the Sheffield United squad to have suffered relegation from the Premier League in the 2020-21 season, with the Blades also finishing bottom.
Ampadu is set to return to Chelsea where he has a year remaining on his contract.
He will now join up with the Wales squad ahead of their Euro 2020 qualifying matches.
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