Overview
The 2013-2014 season will be the year Parma celebrates its centenary season.
Parma hope to ring in this momentous achievement by reaching new heights. However, this might prove more difficult than expected. Last season, Parma finished 10th in Serie A; a result gotten mostly through overachievement.
Finishing the 2012-2013 season 10th on the table, relegation was never a serious issue, although after a fast start that had fans anticipating European qualification, a two month winless streak in the new year dashed any hopes.
With Parma keeping most of its same squad as last season and having experienced a falloff beginning in January, the Crociati look to have quite the ordeal ahead of them if they hope to improve on last season’s results.
Mercato
Players IN
Antonio Cassano from Inter
Since becoming the most expensive teenager when he was signed by Roma for €30 million in 2003, Cassano has had a troubled career. With multiple managers at Roma failing to get the most out of the striker, he left in 2006- playing in brief stints at Real Madrid, Sampdoria, AC Milan, and Inter.
After playing only one season for Inter (wherein he scored 7 goals in 23 Serie A appearances), he makes the move to Parma, becoming the most notable signing for the club in this summer transfer window.
Parma hope that Cassano, at the age of 31, can manage to produce more goals than he did last season for Inter. For, it is behind the legs of this fiery striker that any hope Parma has for improving on last season lies.
Mattia Cassani on loan from Fiorentina
Italian right-back Mattia Cassani arrives with the Parma side on loan from Fiorentina. Despite only making four Serie A appearances for the Florentine club last season, Parma hopes that Cassani will help to strengthen a defense that allowed 46 goals during last season’s campaign.
Despite failing to impress while at Fiorentina, Cassani previously enjoyed a long run of form while playing at Palermo from 2006-2011. During his stay at Palermo, he appeared in 161 games.
If he can recreate anywhere near that level of production while at Parma, his addition to the squad could prove invaluable to their chances this upcoming season.
Mikael Ishak from FC Koln
With Parma finding goals difficult to come by last season, they went out and signed youngster Mikael Ishak from FC Koln for an undisclosed fee.
The young striker spent the second half of last season on loan at Swiss side St Gallen where he scored three goals in 13 appearances.
While he will begin his stint at Parma training with the Primavera side, Parma hope Ishak will eventually move up to the senior side and help add to the goal tally of a team that only scored 45 goals last season.
Other transfers to be aware of are the permanent signing of Marco Parolo to the club and the reacquiring of Afriyie Acquah on loan. Parolo was a revelation while playing last season on loan for Parma.
After making 36 Serie A appearances and scoring 3 goals while playing in the center of their midfield, it was absolutely critical for Parma to sign him to a permanent deal. Meanwhile, Acquah (who played in 13 Serie A matches for Parma last season) was signed to another loan deal- this time from German team Hoffenheim.
Finally, centre-back Felipe dal Belo, acquired via Fiorentina, is a solid defender and excellent with the ball. He will be a regular in the back three.
Players OUT
Ishak Belfodil to Inter
Without a doubt, the biggest loss from last season’s side is Ishak Belfodil to Inter. The 21-year-old Algerian who made 33 Serie A appearances and scored eight goals last season while playing for Parma, made the move to Inter this summer in a deal that saw him earn €1 million a season and caused Antonio Cassano to move to Parma.
Given his youth and steady goal production, the sky is the limit for Belfodil and Parma clearly lost a valuable asset when they saw him depart for Inter this summer.
Roberto Donadoni
After a Parma loss to Inter Milan in January 2012, Roberto Donadoni replaced Franco Colomba as coach. When he arrived at the club, Parma was close to the relegation zone. With Donadoni at the helm, the team’s results improved immediately.
The team ended the season eighth in the table and equal to Roma in points. Parma ended the 2012-2013 season in 10th place, despite early-year fear the team would be relegated.
Donadoni feels the wave of enthusiasm felt around the Stadio Ennio Tardini prior to the 2013-2014 season could possibly boost the Ducali towards another European campaign.
Parma won the UEFA Cup in 1999, but administration and subsequent relegation have left them struggling to regain their former standing in Serie A.
“We are staying down to earth,” Donadoni said. “We know which path we want to go down, but it’s easier to make claims than to keep promises. Let’s stay realistic and try to make as few mistakes as possible.”
Donadoni’s initial deal was only supposed to run through the end of last season and so, in October 2012, he was given a renewal on the initial deal which extended his contract an extra two years. This was the longest deal owner Tommaso Ghirardi had ever given a Parma manager, since purchasing the club in 2007.
Donadoni hopes to recreate the magic again this season, though Parma experienced a fall in production since January 2013, winning only six games since January 1st.
Predictions
14th Place
While the past two seasons have been exciting for fans of Parma, the end of the magic is at hand. After the dreadful ending to last season, Parma hasn’t made enough moves this summer to stay competitive.
Furthermore, losing phenom Ishak Belfodil (who was their second-leading scorer) was a huge loss. Despite the arrival of Antonio Cassano, Parma won’t be able to recreate the goal production brought by Belfodil and as a result, Parma will fall several spots down the table.
