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Parma on home soil

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Parma on home soil
Parma on home soil
Parma on home soil

Serie A strugglers Parma, who finished last season in the dizzy heights of sixth position, kicked off their 2014/15 campaign on home soil by succumbing 5-4 to Milan in a nine-goal thriller back in September.

A second home reverse followed when Roma edged them 2-1 ten days later, with current Bianconero Paolo De Ceglie bagging an eventual consolation just shy of the hour mark.

As autumn began to take hold, Genoa (2-1) and Sassuolo (3-1) came away from Emilia-Romagna with all three points, ensuring the Gialloblu doubled their tally for home defeats in October.

But the losing streak was soon dispelled on the first day of November, when De Ceglie’s double secured Parma’s maiden home victory of the term: a 2-0 triumph over Inter.

The winning feeling didn’t last long, however, as both Empoli (2-0) and Lazio (2-1) registered triumphs, before a goalless stalemate up against Cagliari rounded off 2014’s action at the Ennio Tardini.

A new year seemed to bring renewed hope for Parma, who defeated high-flying Fiorentina 1-0 through Andrea Costa’s first-half strike back in January.

But three home defeats on the trot then followed, as Sampdoria (2-0), Cesena (2-1) and Chievo (1-0) inflicted more misery on Donadoni’s men, with the rock bottom Gialloblu continuing to drift further behind in the relegation race.

Brief respite came courtesy of March’s 0-0 draw versus Atalanta, before a tenth home reverse of the season soon arrived when the Bianconeri’s arch-rivals Torino ran out comfortable 2-0 winners.

With Juventus on the horizon, however, the Ducali seemed to up their game in their subsequent home encounter, defeating Udinese 1-0 thanks to winter signing Silvestre Varela’s solitary second-half strike on Wednesday.

Roberto Donadoni will take heart from the way his charges put themselves about up against the Zebrette earlier this week and the ex-Napoli boss will hope they can replicate that performance when the reigning champions come to town on Saturday evening.

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