It may have looked a quiet and uninteresting affair based on the result, but Parma’s trip to Sardinia ended in utter despair for Roberto Donadoni’s men with their European ambitions taking a severe knock. Although AC Milan failed to capitalise on the defeat, Massimo Cellino has done his friend Adriano Galliani a great service.
The packed Stadio Sant’Elia was dominated by the away side on the field, but against the run of play Alessandro Lucarelli’s flaying arm caught Daniele Dessena in the face and resulted in a penalty. Maurizio Pinalla stepped up and scored triumphantly in front of the home support. Tempers reached boiling point when play restarted after half time: Felipe felt his side had deserved a penalty and lashed out at Luca Rossettini, resulting in a straight red card.
Parma piled on the pressure with Cagliari’s stoic defense and the terrific debut of goalkeeper Marco Silvestri providing fans with something to cheer about. After a terrific run of games, Parma’s form has disintegrated which has opened up the gap for AC Milan to take the final Europa League space. President Cellino has a well documented friendship with Adriano Galliani and the 1-0 result is bound to have strengthened the relationship.
Cagliari have now climbed to 14th place in the Serie A table with three games remaining, making thoughts of relegation a distant memory. During the week, the club’s jerseys for next season were unveiled. Kappa continue to design the club’s sportswear and all three kits use a similar template. It is not yet known whether Sardegna will continue to be the club’s main sponsor next season and so images of jerseys lack any kind of shirt sponsorship.
The next match will be away to the San Paolo to face Napoli. Cagliari are waiting on the news of the injured Nene, Adryan, Matias Vecino and Albin Ekdal ahead of the match. Victor Ibarbo and Vlada Avramov will be available to coach Ivo Pulga once again and it could be interesting to see whether Marco Silvestri is favored over the experienced Avramov.
With the season close to its conclusion, all attentions turn to the Cagliari squad and the situation regarding contracts. Nene’s deal appears to be up with the Rossoblu unlikely to offer him a new long-term deal. Dessena could be on his way if the management don’t respond quickly and at 26 years of age he still has plenty to give on the pitch. Francesco Pisano, who recently celebrated his 28th birthday, is expected to put pen to paper on a new deal having spent his whole career with the Sardinians.
Finally, and perhaps somewhat shockingly, is Nicola Murru. The 19 year-old has become something of a rising star in Italy and is highly regarded amongst Serie A coaches. In the past he has been linked with a move to Milan, and with his contract still unresolved, there is the risk of losing him for nothing. In terms of his career Murru is still in his infancy and should certainly consider staying at Cagliari.
Follow Louis Gibberd-Thomas on Twitter: @mercutio156
