Donadoni's Parma Struggling to Keep Pace with Europa League Spot

Roberto Donadoni was still upbeat after last night’s 4-2 defeat to Roma. With statements like Parma could have been more aggressive and that, with a full squad, the game could have been different, it gave off the impression that this was merely a blip. Parma had been charging toward a Europa League spot, but does Donadoni’s nonchalance hide a potential implosion? 

Parma have been magnificent this season and have had fans and journalists comparing them to the great Parma sides of the 1990s. Up until two weeks ago, they sat proudly in sixth place in the table, 11 points ahead of Milan and unbeaten in the league since last November. Even that was to high-flying Juventus. They have been playing superb football, and with players such as the marmite Amuari, Marco Parolo, the long-forgotten Ezequiel Schelotto and "the big fish in the small pond" Cassano, it has come as a surprise.

Nonetheless, this rag-tag group has been making everyone stand up and take note on Donadoni and his dirty dozen.

When the Gialloblu welcomed Juventus to the Stadio Ennio Tradini, many thought Juventus were in for a tough game, but not many thought the Turin giants would fail to win. The "Old Lady" did not let anyone down winning 1-2, but there was no panic in the ranks. Parma had acquired enough points to handle a blow from the runaway league leaders and would just have to recover against Lazio.

This is where the problems started, as Donadoni’s consistent outfit started to fall apart. In a bizarre 90 minutes, Lazio won 3-2 in a match they tried very hard to let Parma back into. Donadoni bemoaned that Parma could have won easily if luck had gone their way and that their fate was still in their own hands if they beat Roma in the next match.

Parma stayed in Rome to play the last 79 minutes of the game called off earlier in the season. The cracks were perhaps starting to show and their normal measured approach that had deserted them against Lazio did so again. It was a deluge of goals (not rain) that engulfed the Stadio Olimpico this time, as the Gialloblu went down 4-2. Donadoni tried to stay bullish, but could the problem be bigger than he makes it out?

The next match for Parma is at home to in-form Napoli; this is followed by a local derby against Bologna before they host Europa League challengers Inter. It will require some steel to get through this period and the points will be needed. They finish the season with an away trip to Cagliari before taking on in-form Torino and Sampdoria. Should the fight go to the last day, they will face relegation-stricken Livorno.

It is testament to Parma that after these three defeats, they still hold sixth position. Donadoni has produced some superb football, and if they can stop the rot, then they still have a real chance. A win against Napoli is a tall order, but it is possible; they beat them 0-1 away in November.

However, as it turns out for the Gialloblu, they have brought pleasure to many who have watched them play this season. The fact that they are even being seriously compared to the great Parma side of the 1990s is an achievement in itself.