Although AC Milan have nearly three times the points Parma has earned so far--26 versus their 9--this year has not been a good one for the team. After finishing 2014 on a solid note, the Rossoneri have taken a huge step backward. They have yet to win a single league game, losing their past two to Atalanta and then Lazio, and recently were dumped out of the Coppa Italia by the Biancocelesti in a rematch meeting just days later.
Despite the growing rumors surrounding his position, Filippo Inzaghi appears to have been given a stay of execution--for now. Still, the former Rossoneri striker already has been feeling the pressure and will hope to at least alleviate some of that against a team that have won just three games all season. Meanwhile, Milan have made some late moves in the transfer market, namely bring in Roma's Mattia Destro in an attempt to add some more firepower to their attack.
His counterpart on the opposing tactician's bench, Roberto Donadoni, has had a nightmare of a season. The Crociati were set to feature in Europe only to see it snatched away due to poor financial management and tax irregularities, and it is that those same fiscal issues that drove Antonio Cassano to terminate his contract and try to seek plying his trade elsewhere. This will certainly be worrying as the veteran--and at times, controversial--striker was his team's leading scorer, with five goals in all competitions.
However, unlike Milan, Parma have actually won one of their last quintet of fixtures, when they ground out a 1-0 win over Fiorentina in their first game of 2015. The last time these two sides met, it ended as a nine-goal thriller in what was indeed an entertaining one for calcio followers. And given that the visitors have the worst defensive record so far--with an appalling 43 goals already conceded--this could represent a good change for the hosts to get that first win in front of their own fans.
Last season saw Parma defeat them 4-2 and so Donadoni's troops will hope to repeat that feat at the San Siro. They have lost three straight matches and with one month already gone by, will be keen to kick off February with a much needed win in order to start slowly working their way out of the relegation zones.
Given the importance of all three points to each of these struggling sides, it will be interesting to see which beleaguered coach will emerge as victor after 90 minutes. Will it be as entertaining as the reverse fixture earlier this season? Perhaps tune in to found out.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Follow the game on-the-go
Download our iOS and Android apps to follow soccer on-the-go. It comes packed with features - live scores, fixtures, results, tables, line-ups, stats, TV schedule and much more! Sorry, no live streaming within the app.
