Vans, lockers, gym equipment and the manager’s bench.
They’ve all been seized by bailiffs, as Parma goes into meltdown. The Serie A club were today forced to cancel their second fixture in as many weeks as they teeter towards bankruptcy. Parma were set to face Udinese, but look to be edging closer to being unable to fulfil the remainder of their fixtures.
‘We’re not playing on Sunday, we’ve asked for the game to be postponed,’ club captain Alessandro Lucarelli told the Parma website yesterday. ‘If they don’t give us a postponement we will go on strike and will lose 3-0 [walkover]’.
The Italian football association decided to call off Sunday’s game, but warned they cannot continue to do so every week.
Parma are almost €100 million in debt and the staff, including players, have not been paid since last August.
The club’s players were forced to pay their own way to games, and Parma youth coach Hernan Crespo, the former Argentine striker, complained his players were falling ill because there was no hot water.
Manager Roberto Donadoni’s bench is set to be auctioned off, with the bidding starting at €2,000.
Sad times for the once successful Serie A club.
Hat-tip The Guardian.
