Inside Parma: Pecchia’s Tactics, Transfer Window and Best Players

When Destination Calcio interviewed Fabio Pecchia in August, the Parma manager was adamant his team would approach the season with the same philosophy that helped them win promotion from Serie B.

“We’re a young team about to be tested in a highly competitive league, but the message to my players is to embrace the challenge and play the hand we’ve been dealt,” he said.

“The demands in Serie A will obviously be different, but the way we approach every game should not – and will not – change.

“We’re going out there to have fun, play our brand of football and win.”

It was an admirable statement of intent from Pecchia, who led Parma back to Serie A at the second time of asking after the Ducali lost to Cagliari in the Serie B play-offs semifinal in 2023.

They lost just four matches en route to the title last term and have hit the ground running in their first top-flight campaign in three years, drawing against Fiorentina and beating AC Milan in their first two matches. Consecutive losses to Napoli and Udinese checked their momentum, though there were caveats.

Leading 1-0 in Naples, Parma had to play the last 15 minutes plus injury time without a recognised goalkepeer after Zion Suzuki was sent off and Pecchia had used all five substitutes at his disposal. Even so, the visitors held their own until Romelu Lukaku equalised with 92 minutes on the clock and Zambo Anguissa netted the winner four minutes later.

Two weeks later against Udinese, Parma led 2-0 before relinquishing the initiative as the Friulani came back to win 3-2. Both results pointed to a degree of naivety Pecchia is yet to eradicate. Hardly surprising considering that only five players on Parma’s books are older than 29.

There was better news against Lecce last week, as Parma came from two goals down to draw 2-2 and secure a point, which lifted them up to 14th, a point above the relegation zone.

At the start of the campaign, Pecchia acknowledged avoiding relegation was Parma’s sole objective and their performances, if not always the results, have been more than good enough to suggest another season in Serie A is well within their grasp.

Bottom of the table Cagliari visit the Ennio Tardini on Monday, with back-to-back trips to Bologna and Como either side of the international break and a home game against Empoli preceding a trip to face Juventus, one of Pecchia’s former sides.

The fixtures list is relatively benign, and Parma must make the most of it.

Transfers: Parma spent north of £27m to strengthen the squad that swatted aside everything before it in Serie B last season. In came Belgian midfielder Mandela Keita for £10m from Royal Antwerp and Japan international Zion Suzuki from fellow Belgian top-flight side Sint-Truidense for £6.2m, while defender Giovanni Leoni arrived from Sampdoria for £4.2m and Matteo Cancellieri joined on loan from Lazio.

Italy Under-21 international Rachid Kouda and France starlet Antoine Joujou joined from Spezia and Le Havre for just under £4m and £2.5m respectively, but were loaned back to those clubs immediately.

There was a major overhaul up front, with Roberto Inglese joining Catania on a free transfer, while Gennaro Tutino and Antonio Colak joined Cosenza and Spezia for £2m each. The exits won’t affect Parma, as Tutino and Inglese spent last season on loan and Colak managed just three goals.

Best performers: With two goals and one assist in five Serie A appearances, Dennis Man has been very much the man for Parma. The Romania international is the Ducali’s creative spark going forward and has been ably supported by Ange-Yoan Bonny, who has also found the net twice in the opening five league fixtures.

Tactics: Pecchia so far has remained committed to the 4-2-3-1 that served him so well last season, with Ange-Yoan Bonny alone up-front and Dennis Man, Valentin Mihăilă and Simon Sohm behind him. The latter has also been deployed deeper in midfield alongside Adrián Bernabé with Hernani replacing him in the No 10 role. Zion Suzuki, meanwhile, has been a regular between the posts ever since joining in the summer.

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