Football Previews
Bottom-side Parma host Palermo on Sunday knowing they will all but need a miracle to play in Serie A next season. The Ducale club is 17 points adrift of safety with seven games remaining. “We are going to take it one game at a time,” Parma coach Roberto Donadoni said on his club’s official website. “From here until the end of the season, we will try to climb up in the standings.” The Gialloblu, who have been docked seven points this season, four last week, as punishment for financial mismanagement, have won just five of their 31 games. Parma looked to be heading for their 22nd defeat of the campaign when trailing 2-1 at Empoli last weekend but Ishak Belfodil’s late equaliser handed Donadoni’s side a deserved point. “We showed a lot of character considering the psychological blow we had suffered last week,” Donadoni said. “My players showed pride and professionalism. “We proved we are still alive and that we are looking forward.” Parma have won their last two league games at the Ennio Tardini stadium, including a 1-0 triumph over league leaders Juventus earlier this month. Palermo travel to Parma in good spirits. The Sicilians followed their 3-1 triumph at Udinese with a 2-1 victory over Genoa in the last round to climb to 11th in the standings, 18 points above the drop zone. Palermo, who gained promotion last season, have 41 points in the bank, a figure which usually ensures another campaign in Italy’s top flight. Bulgarian midfielder Ivaylo Chochev, whose two goals gave Palermo a crucial win over Genoa, said: “I’m delighted to have scored. “The most important thing is that we have achieved our aim to defend our Serie A status. “But we don’t want to stop there. “There are still seven games remaining and we want to climb up in the standings and have a good end to the campaign.” Parma welcome back striker Cristobal Jorquera, who missed last weekend’s game at Empoli through suspension. The visitors are without Croatian midfielder Mato Jajalo, who must serve a one-match ban.
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Team
MP
W
D
L
F
A
G
P
1
SSC Napoli
12
8
2
2
19
9
+10
26
2
Atalanta
12
8
1
3
31
15
+16
25
3
Fiorentina
12
7
4
1
25
10
+15
25
4
Inter Milan
12
7
4
1
26
14
+12
25
5
Lazio
12
8
1
3
25
14
+11
25
6
Juventus
12
6
6
0
21
7
+14
24
7
AC Milan
11
5
3
3
20
14
+6
18
8
Bologna
11
4
6
1
15
13
+2
18
9
Udinese
12
5
1
6
15
18
-3
16
10
Empoli
12
3
6
3
9
10
-1
15
11
Torino
12
4
2
6
15
18
-3
14
12
Roma
12
3
4
5
14
17
-3
13
13
Parma
12
2
6
4
16
18
-2
12
14
Verona
12
4
0
8
17
27
-10
12
15
Como
12
2
4
6
13
23
-10
10
16
Cagliari
12
2
4
6
12
22
-10
10
17
Genoa
12
2
4
6
9
22
-13
10
18
Lecce
12
2
3
7
5
21
-16
9
19
Monza
12
1
5
6
10
15
-5
8
20
Venezia
12
2
2
8
11
21
-10
8
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