Parma Calcio 1913 - An Italian Journey

March



A very short month as we only played two games as we decided to postpone the Lazio game due to international call ups so hopefully that pays off in the long term.

First up though was Napoli who are sitting below us in the table so have been far from their best so far this season. Thiago Almada showed his ability though with a well placed finish from just outside the box in the 22nd minute to give us the lead. In the second half we came out fighting again and Caprari go onto the end of a through ball to finish from 6 yards out to put us firmly in the driving seat. Milik though pulled one back with a neat finish in the 72nd minute which left a very nervy final 18 minutes but we walked away with the 3 points.

In the match against Genoa it was a different story though as we fell behind after 4 minutes before Cprari was brought down in the area in the 28th minute and we were awarded a penalty. Calm and collected Almada stepped up and slotted it home. Both teams went on to have plenty of chances but nobody could take them until there was a set piece where the ball got knocked just outside of the box where Baro ran onto the ball and riffled it into the top corner in the 85th minute to give us the 3 points.

League Table



April



Youth



The youth intake was disappointing this season and I don't expect any of them to last long at the club.

April



The opening two games of the month were always going to be tough and we didn't expect to get any points out of them but what was good was that we put up two good fights and were narrowly beaten in both games. We didn't let the defeats go to our heads though as we bounced straight back with an excellent win at home to Lecce. It was always going to be a good win when Kulusevski opened the scoring in the opening minute before Baro doubled it 3 minutes late. We have a knack of taking our foot off the gas when getting a few goals ahead to make sure that we don't embarrass anybody too much.

Cagliari were a team we needed to make sure we are beating and we got off to a lucky start when VAR offered us a penalty which Hernani slotted home in the 12th minute. We were then made to work for it for the rest of the game before Kulusevski got the 2nd in the 71st minute. Bologna was a very tough match and neither team took their chance in the first half as well entered the break at 0-0. Things got off to a bad start though as Krejci opened the scoring for Bologna 1 minute into the 2nd half and then Kulusevski saw a straight red in the 66th minute so we had to rethink how we were going to approach the rest of the game so we made sure we we started going on the counter attack and it pad off as Marin managed to make a run and get us the point in the 79th minute.

League Table



May

May



We go into the final month of the season knowing fine well that European football next season is now a real possibility if we can get a few wins. First up is Verona who we really should be beating but things didn't go our way as Borini puts them ahead in the 31st minute. For the rest of the game it looked like we just weren't going to beat their keeper but our never give up attitude paid off as Marin got the important goal with the final kick of the ball to ensure we walked away with a point. Against Udinese you know its never going to be a good game when your 1-0 down within 30 seconds and it certainly wasn't when they got the 2nd goal. Another game we should be winning and our lack of defenders cost us.

It was important that against Sampdoria that we got back on track as the final European spot was close to slipping between our fingers but thanks to an own goal from Colley in the 52nd minute we walked away with the 3 points. Our final 2 games could of been a lot easier but of course we end up with a few days in Rome. First up was Lazio who we took the lead against through Almada in the 8th minute before a disaster in defence let Caicedo slip through and slip it past Sepe for the game to finish 1-0/

We went into the final game against Roma knowing a win would secure Europa League football but sadly things just didn't go to plan. Everything was looking good at half time as we went in at 0-0 but Roma were the team that took their chance as Mkhitaryan scored a well placed finish to win the game for Roma 1-0. What we didn't realise at the time though was that Verona went on to score the only goal of their game in the 72nd minute to beat Torino 1-0 which meant we managed to hold onto 7th spot.

League Table



End of Season





Budget



The budget is quite low but we do have a fair few pre-arranged transfers where loan deals that are being made permanent that were arranged before I joined the club so we will need to make do with what we have and hope for some bargains to fill the gaps of where the loan players are also leaving the club.

Preseason



Due to the Eurpoa League qualifying we had a very short preseason so we used the first two rounds as friendlies as well due to the level of opposition. By the en of the friendlies we really got going with our new signings and that shows with us beating Viktoria Plzen 10-1 over the two legs. I feel we're really ready to tackle this season and try to improve on our 7th place finish last year.

Transfers Out



I have been very busy over the course of the transfer window so far with clearing out as many people as possible as with people's loan deals becoming permanent and players coming back in from loan it was important to reduce the size of the squad to allow me to bring my own players in. We luckily haven't lot anybody that we didn't want to and managed to bring in over £21,000,000 in transfer fees to allow us to bring in the players I need.

Transfers In



With the budget that we were given for the season it was important that we buy smart so every player we brought in on was either on the loan list or the transfer list. Willem Geubbels is a steal for £400k as he can develop into a top striker if given the game time he deserves so we've sent him out on loan straight away. Next with our lack of goals from strikers last season we have brought in Esposito in from Inter and have a clause to buy him for £15 million over the course of the season. He has the ability to become a world class striker for Italy so the clause will be getting activated when we can afford it.

Sergio Gomez joins from Dortmund and will be battling it out for the CM roles but he is another one for the future as well. Schiappacasse joins from Athletico Madrid and will be backup for Alamada this season and he is versatile enough to play across both wings as well if needed. He's Italian as well which helps meet a board target of signing Italians as well. Firpo joins from Barcelona on loan for the season and will be the starting RB. Vignato is one of the brightest prospects in Italian football and was placed on loan even though Bologna were relegated so he will battle it out for the RW as we have a buy clause of £10 million that we can activate if he plays well. With Brescia being relegated Tonali was placed on the transfer list and it took longer than I liked to sign him as we needed to wait on other players leaving first but luckily we managed to secure another of Italy's brightest prospects.

Finally we have signed Bernardo Sousa for a nominal fee as again he was transfer listed and is somebody we can sell for a profit in the future and make up the numbers. We still have £7 million to spend but it would need to be a very good player to make me send it just now.

Expectations



The board have a big ask in the Europa League and thats going to be tough to get through the group stages as we won't have a high seeding. The league should be easy enough to meet as we just need to finish mid-table. In the cup as always its just going to be the luck of the draw so we'll see what happens.

August



ScottT Thanks, now time to build on it.

August



So we get underway properly now and we have Legia Warszawa in the final qualifying round for us to reach the Europa League so we need to be at our best to make it and to start building the cash up. With the first leg being at home we relly needed to take our chances and we left it late as we scored all 4 goals in the final 15 minutes of the game to all but confirm progress. Next up in the league we face SPAL who Esposito single handily defeats with an excellent hat-trick.

Away to Warszawa we rotated the squad with the next game coming against Fiorentina and Gomez managed to sneak the winner with a well placed finnish 10 minutes from time. The game against Fiorentina was our first chance to test ourselves against one of the big boys from last season and our youthful team blows them away as we were 3 up after 16 minutes thanks to goals from Marin, Tonali and Firpo. The final goal came out of nowhere as Matteo Darmian got onto the end of a loose ball in the box to tap home to make it 4.

League



September



Transfers

So we didn't make any more signings over the rest of the transfer business and nobody else left the club either.

The big spenders though are as below

Europa League Group



We're expected to make the 2nd knockout round and we certainly have a tough group to try and get out of. We just need to make the most of our games at home here.

September



We came up against Cagliari first and it was disappointing to only get a draw against them after our result against Fiorentina but a point is a point and thats all that matters. Our first game in th Europa League comes up and what a game it is as we are 2-0 down after goals in the 23rd and 33rd minutes. We come out after half time though a completely different team and attack from the off and make the breakthrough against Almada in the 60th minute. Betella then gets the equaliser 6 minutes later from a well placed header to get us an important point. We then sneak a win against Atalanta and Lazio.

Finally we come up against Genoa and get another big win as Esposito get 2 goals to show how good he is. Tonali and Marin also get on the score sheet to show how dangerous this young Parma squad can be before Cuenca rounds off the scoring with 2 minutes to go.

League



October

October



The months are definitely getting busier with the add in of the Europa League games so being able to rotate our squad is becoming more and more important. First up this month we welcome Red Bull Salzburg which we really need to make count for us if we want to get through our group. Esposito is really showing his worth to us as he opens the scoring in the 6th minute before grabbing the 2nd in the 60th minute as well.

Against Inter we have to rotate the squad a bit and it doesn't pay off as we took a lead after 3 minutes but in the second half Inter tore us to pieces to take the 3 points. Luckily after the Inter game we had the International break which allowed our players a bit of a rest and it meant that Torino weren't able to handle us as we walk away with the 3 points.

Next in the Europa League was a trip to Croatia to face HNK Rijeka and we race to a 3-0 lead in 20 minutes through Marin and Almada. We take our foot off the gas with the 3 points in the bag. We really struggle with the game after or European adventures as we lose 1-0 to Napoli.

The final game of the month was a disappointing result for us but was a great game for the neutrals as it really was a ping pong battle. Evandro opens the scoring in the 26th minutes before Marin responded straight from the kick off to get it back to 1-1. In the second half Alamada then gave us the lead in the 57th minute. We only lasted 11 minutes before Miazga rose above our defenders to head home. In the 81st minute on loan midfielder Lanzini finally gave Verona the lead again. I honestly thought the game was going to be over until the wonder kid that is Antonio Marin slots home just before the final whistle is blown to ensure we get a point which was probably a fair result for both teams.

League



November

November



The month starts off nice and easily for us as we face Benevento with Tonali, Esposito and Baro getting the goals. Our young players are really showing their worth now. The Europa League gae against HNK Rijeka the game was over in the opening 20 minutes when all 3 goals were scored. For a change we had a nice easy game afterwards for a change against newly promoted Trapani as Esposito gets another 2 goals in the league.

Next up was Sassuolo where Goldaniga put them ahead after 7 minutes. Esposito was on the score sheet again in the 17th minute. Amad Traore then got the 2nd in the 36th minute. The rest of the game was pretty boring right up until the 95th minute where Esposito was brought down in the box before Almada slotted home from the spot with the whistle being blown straight after.

We are then back into European action and I was expecting this game to be a lot tougher but MonchenGladbach seemed to lie down to us as Karamoh got us off the mark after 18 minutes. Marin then got the 2nd in the 55th before Tonali rounded off us scoring in the 86th minute before Haberer got the consolation goal in the 89th minute.

We always seem to get stuck with a big game after the Europa League games and this time Roma get one over on us to open up a lead at the top of the league.

League



December



Transfers Out

We've managed to arrange for a few players to leave the club that only joined in the summer but have no place in my squad. Alberto Grassi is leaving to join Watford for £4.8 million.

Yann Karamoh is joinging Real Betis for £10 million, Fabrizio Alastra is joining Lazio for £725,000 and Roberto Inglese is joinging Celtic for £10.5 million.

Transfers In

Wuilker Farinez is joining from Millonarios for £3 million and will become our first choice keeper. Stefano Turati will be joining from Sassuolo to go into the under 20's but will be promoted to the first team after the summer to act as No.2

Finally we will also be signing Matias Arezo will be joining from River Plate Montevido for £1 million amd will play back up to Esposito.

December



December brings 3 big games in a row for us at the start with us kicking the month off against A.C Milan who are struggling again this year and Esposito makes quick work of Milan with giving us the lead after 2 minutes. Almada then rounds the win off from the penalty spot in the 67th minute. With qualification already confirmed for the club I decided to rest some players with Juventus game in mind and the plan backfired as Salzburg beat us 2-0. Juventus are struggling so this was our chance to finally get one over on them and its a pretty bring game until substitute Inglese opens the scoring in the 85th minute and we look good value for the win until we just seem to shut off as Ronaldo grabs a goal in the 91st minute before Fernandinho then grabs the winner with the final kick of the ball in the 96th minute.

Udinese were thankfully much easier to break down as Sergio Gomez and Esposito put us 2-0 aheafter after only 26 minutes and Udinese grab a goal back n the final minute of the game through Barak. Citadella are the final team we face and we rotate a few players to give some players a chance and Traore grabs his chance with both hands as he score an excellent brace to put us 2-0 up before Esposito and Marin both add to the score sheet as well.

League



Europa League



January



Youth



Its looking like we will have a much better intake this year so hopefully we can get one or two players to come through that will break into the first team.