Alessandro Lucarelli, captain of the troubled Serie A side Parma, has said that club players are prepared to fund transport to Genoa.
The Ducali have struggled with funds throughout the current campaign with players going unpaid since July last year, with Sunday’s match against Udinese postponed due to lack of funds to pay for stadium services.
Recently club captain Alessandro Lucarelli lashed out at club executives, league and federation officials for troubles that the beleaguered club is facing.
“It was a difficult Sunday, which left me in a bitter taste. Because I went to see Livorno, the team of my city. Sure, it was hard not to play, especially for the reasons given,” said Lucarelli on Radio Anch’Io Sport, in reference to the cancellation of Sunday’s clash against Udinese.
“It is the responsibility of those who managed the company and those who allowed this to happen by seeing that the accounts were not going well. It’s like being in a movie, we have seen seen everything you could possibly imagine, many presidents in a few months”
Lucarelli plans to meet Italian authorities to discuss the future of the club and the possibility to keep playing future games.
“I will go to the municipality to meet the Mayor, FIGC and AIC. Parma players will play all the games until the end of the championship: we have shown dignity, even in Rome, and will continue to play.”
The veteran defender also said that the club players will fund their trip to Genoa for their scheduled Serie A clash on Sunday.
“Today, we are starting our preparations for the match against Genoa and if there isn’t a bus we’ll get five or six cars together and travel in them. We’re prepared to pay for the trip ourselves.
“But we also want to feel protected, so that there is interest in the club and not just for the championship’s sake”, added the player.
Samdoria president Massimo Ferrero also came out in support of the club and its players in view of the ongoing financial crisis.
“Italian football cannot remain indifferent to the serenity, the professionalism and the maturity with which the Parma players have faced an extremely difficult situation,” he said in a statement on Sampdoria’s website.
“I congratulate the players and all the people who work at Parma. I consider them to be heroes.”
