The 2011-12 campaign delivered a desperate and dramatic escape from the drop for Vicenza as the Biancorossi finished a perilous 19th in a turbulent Serie B season. The club faced a nail-biting relegation play-off against Empoli, but ultimately secured their status when they were reprieved from relegation after Lecce was administratively relegated due to the Calciopoli scandal. Leading the line with grit and skill was the experienced striker Elvis Abbruscato, whose 13 crucial goals were vital to the team’s frantic, against-all-odds survival. It was a chaotic year that cemented the club's ability to cling on to their second-tier position through dramatic external circumstances.