Team Focus: Record Breaking Parma Dream of a Return to Europe

Parma were undone by a ‘Quagliarellata’. A wonder strike that came out of nowhere. Juventus hadn’t scored from open play at the Ennio Tardini in six years. Something special was required. Who else but Fabio Quagliarella duly provided it. Thirty-five yards out with his back to goal he turned his man and pitched a looping shot against the upright. It left Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante stunned. By the time he recovered his senses, Paul Pogba had followed Quagliarella’s shot up to score the only goal of the game. Parma had resisted until the 75th minute. It was the last time they lost in Serie A. That was right at the beginning of November.

Since then they have gone 17 matches unbeaten, a club record. And to think it had previously stood at 11, a run established between September 24 and December 17, 1995. That team had finished Serie A runners’ up the previous season. They were the UEFA Cup holders and could call upon a young Gigi Buffon in goal, Fabio Cannavaro, Fernando Couto and Nestor Sensini in defence with Gianfranco Zola behind strikers like Tino Asprilla, Hristo Stoichkov, Thomas Brolin and Pippo Inzaghi. To have outdone it really is an outstanding achievement if you compare the resources they had then to now.

Owner Tommaso Ghirardi has instead likened this Parma team to the humble one that won promotion to Serie A for the first time in 1990. After watching them beat Milan 4-2 at San Siro the weekend before last, a result that ended an almost 18-year wait for a win there, Ghirardi revealed he is more than prepared to offer coach Roberto Donadoni a “four or five-year” contract extension. Asked to explain how he has reached the peak of his managerial career so far, the former Milan player told Il Giornale on Tuesday: “It’s simple: I’ve had the chance to work for a rather long period.”

Patience. That rare thing in Italian football. Donadoni has been in the job for three years. He’s had time, but he’s made time. Fifteenth and in danger of relegation when he replaced Franco Colomba, Donadoni closed out the season with seven consecutive wins, a streak that ensured Parma didn’t just survive but finished eighth. He turned the Tardini into a fortress again. Between March 17, 2012 and January 27, 2013, Parma didn’t once lose in front of their own fans and concluded the season in eighth again. Putting a run together of the sorts he used to make on the wing for Milan has become a hallmark of Donadoni’s management. This one, however, remains by far the most impressive.

Only Bayern Munich and Juventus are currently on a longer unbeaten streak in Europe’s top five leagues. Pause to consider that for a moment. Now let’s bring this back to Serie A. Only the champions and unrelenting league leaders Juventus [26] have taken more points than Parma [21] since the midway point of the season. That’s more than the likes of Roma [20], Napoli [16], Inter [15], Fiorentina and Milan [14]. Just how are they doing it then?

With the exception of Antonio Cassano, a birthday present for the club’s centenary, which in and of itself has been a source of enthusiasm, the team has played together for some time now. Parma have kept their core together too. Offers for their best players, centre-back Gabriel Paletta [recently capped by Italy] and winger Jonathan Biabiany [the fastest footballer in Serie A] were refused over the winter. Cassano was also persuaded to stay after his head was briefly turned by his old club Sampdoria.

When settled he has been outstanding. Cassano has scored 11 goals [7 of which have come away from home] and set up another five. His average of 2.7 key passes per game is a league high too. Only Eden Hazard and Mathieu Valbuena have created more chances in Europe’s top five leagues. No wonder Italy coach Cesare Prandelli is considering calling him up to the national team again for the first time since the Euro 2012 final. “I’m slimmer now,” Cassano said. “I’m not eating as many focaccine. Only one a week.”

Thirty-seven per cent of Parma’s attacks have come down his side. That rises to 39% at home. He’s their X Factor. But Parma aren’t a one-man team. After going nine months without a goal, Amauri has six in 2014. Only Torino striker Ciro Immobile has more in the New Year. He thrives on crosses in the box and Parma attempt 24 per game, the fourth most in Serie A this season. Ten of their goals this season have come from headers, a figure bettered only by tonight’s opponents Juventus. Paletta’s partner at centre-back, the captain, Alessandro Lucarelli has scored three of them. Named man of the match nine times this season, the veteran’s WhoScored rating of 7.71 is the highest in Serie A.

“The game against Parma is very difficult,” insisted Juventus coach Antonio Conte. Some might say he’s exaggerating. What do Juventus have to fear? They’re perfect at home in the league this season. But Conte is right not to underestimate Parma. His opponents haven’t lost on the road since late October and have won their last five away from the Tardini. Clinical, their chance conversion rate stands at 16%, the third highest in Serie A and they always keep you on your toes. Twenty-five of Parma’s goals have come in the final 15 minutes of each half. They often send you back into the dressing room cursing a lapse in concentration, a relinquishment of the initiative.

Asked on Monday how far Parma can go this season, Donadoni replied: “I don’t know. You know why? Because the players keep surprising me. They say to me: ‘Mister, we believe in our ability’.” I guess we’ll find out more over the next fortnight. It promises to be testing. After Juventus, Parma go to Lazio, Roma and host Napoli. Come through those games still unbeaten and their dream of returning to Europe will be a step closer to becoming reality. Realise it and Donadoni would be a serious contender for coach of the year along with Conte, Andrea Mandorlini and Rudi Garcia. Deserving of another shot at a big club, his contract is up in 2015. Ghirardi says he owes it to Donadoni not to stand in his way.

And if I were Milan…

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