Parma Calcio 2020: starting off again with the transfer market

A focus on the first part of the club’s season, tackling some inevitable difficulties with excellent results. For 2020, the club moved quickly during the January transfer market, buying the players coach D’Aversa needed to strengthen the team.

Parma Calcio 2020: a time of great expectations and confirmations

Last season Parma Calcio returned to Serie A after 3 years, rising from the ashes like a phoenix. The team got off to a flying start, although the second half of the season was more relaxed. Despite this, 41 points in the league table gave them a solid position.

In the summer transfer market the team made some interesting purchases: the centre forward Roberto Inglese was confirmed, while the new entries included expert midfielder Darmian from Manchester United, Yann Karamoh, the talented winger from Inter, and two loans from Atalanta, centre forward Andreas Cornelius and right winger Dejan Kulusevski. The stars of the 2018/19 season included players of the calibre of goalkeeper Luigi Sepe, B. Alves, defender, captain and leader, Gagliolo, Kucka and Barillà, and the unstoppable Gervinho.

The first half of the season: a tough battle

The season turned out to be far from easy, with the team unfortunately suffering from several injuries. The most unlucky of these was D’Aversa’s star centre forward, Roberto Inglese, whose series of more or less serious physical injuries and problems meant that he could do very little for the team, ending in a major stop and in fact he will only be back on the pitch in 2/3 months.

And so the trio Karamoh – Inglese – Gervinho were unable to express their skills to the full, as the wingers were also often forced off the bench due to injuries. The team in any case managed to end the year close to the Europa League, scoring 7 points out of 12 in December (beating Sampdoria in Genoa and in Naples), and continued on a good roll in January (except for the loss against an overpowering Atalanta).

But the value and strength of a group can only be seen in times of difficulty, and in the midst of these obstacles one brilliant emerging talent was Dejan Kulusevski. The Swede of Macedonian origin totalled 21 presences, with 5 goals, 7 assists and lots of quality play, which caught the attention of the major clubs. And indeed in January came the call from Juventus, and the class-of-2000 centre forward couldn’t say no, but this professional and high-class player announced that he would be staying with Parma until June.

The first troubles for Parma Calcio 2020

During the winter transfer market, the management worked hard to fill the gaps in the team caused by the injuries, and took the strong midfielder Jasmin Kurtic on loan (with obligation to buy) from Spal, a player already used to the championship, who showed his worth with a last-minute assist in the 2-2 draw against Cagliari.

After Luigi Sepe’s injury the young goalkeeper Radu, owned by Inter, arrived from Genoa, while defender Vasco Regini came from Sampdoria, both on loan.

Another player also came from Samp following the dynamics of this mid-season transfer market: while Gervinho’s transfer seemed a done deal, another quality player was found to fill the gap left by the Ivorian player. Gianluca Caprari. Class of 93, he learned the tools of the trade with Roma, then played well in Serie B and then in A with Pescara, and then with Samp, where there was less chance to be noticed but in any case he showed some skilled play and scored several goals. A fast, technical and flexible player, whose purchase can offer some unexpected quality play, however the Gervinho situation ends.

Second half of the season: Parma Calcio must keep its feet firmly on the ground

With the start of the second half of the season, the team sponsored by Cetilar® was changed by the transfers and injuries, but continued to count on the solid skills of coach D’Aversa and the fans who filled the Tardini stadium on Sundays to support the team.
The team is just 8 points away from avoiding relegation, and in seventh place Parma is now ahead of some top teams, including Napoli and Milan.

While it’s fine to dream, the team has to keep its feet firmly on the ground, taking it match by match. The team has already shown what it is capable of, returning to the football that counts in record time. It will take self-denial, determination, resilience, brains and brawn, all at least to the levels expressed in the first half of the season, if not more. And if these assumptions are confirmed, every result will count.