Parma is gearing up for the match of the season, in the final round of the Serie A season, a decisive battle to avoid relegation.
Cristi Chivu’s players will face Atalanta away on Sunday at 21:45. It is the last round of Serie A, and Parma still has great anxieties about avoiding relegation. With one round to go, Parma is in 16th place with 33 points, just two points above Empoli, in 18th place, the first below the red line. To not depend on the results of their rivals, Chivu’s team, with Man and Mihăilă, would need a victory against Atalanta.
However, Parma can remain in the top league even if they lose to Atalanta, a team that no longer has any stakes as they are already qualified for the Champions League. The condition is that Lecce and Empoli do not win their matches against Lazio and Verona, respectively.
But, be aware, a playoff match could also happen if the 17th and 18th places finish with an equal number of points. And Cristi Chivu mentioned this possibility at the pre-match press conference.
"This might not be the last match. We consider all possibilities because that's fair. We are prepared, we have a clear mind, and we can achieve our goal. We treated every match as if it were the last, with the same passion. All matches are like finals, and that's how I treated them when I was a player. This is the 13th final. It's a match as important as the previous 12," said Chivu.
Chivu will not be on the bench for this match as he received a red card after a tough clash with Antonio Conte from Napoli in the previous round: "I will be in the stands, and I will have a better view of the field. The position will be better," Chivu added.
There is also a fanciful scenario where 4 teams from the bottom of the standings all finish with 34 points. Parma will play this playoff if they draw against Atalanta, and Lecce and Empoli win in the final round against Lazio and Verona. So, Verona, Parma, Lecce, and Empoli would all have 34 points. And based on head-to-head results, Parma and Verona would face each other in this two-legged playoff.
D.A.