MILAN: Bankrupt, bottom-of-the-table Parma, whose players have not been paid all season, pulled off the biggest surprise of the season when they stunned runaway Serie A leaders Juventus 1-0 to hand the champions only their second defeat of the campaign.

Days before hosting Monaco in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, Juventus coach Massim­i­liano Allegri rested a number of regulars for the trip to a packed out Stadio Ennio Tardini.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, striker Carlos Tevez and defender Andrea Barzagli were all left on the bench ahead of Tuesday’s last eight clash in Turin but it was still a remarkable result for Parma who have only continued in the league thanks to a fund set up by the Italian federation.

Jose Mauri scored the only goal of the game on the hour mark, while a string of fine saves from Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante also helped Roberto Donadoni’s side to a memorable win against a Juve side which had ran out 7-0 winners over them earlier in the season.

Juventus remained 14 points clear at the top and on course for a fourth successive title while Parma, who have had three points deducted for breaching financial regulations, are on 16 points, still five adrift at the bottom.

Allegri admitted on the club’s Twitter feed that Juve had “made too many errors” in the second half and added: “We need points to secure this championship and it’s not been won yet. But we’re calm and now our focus is on Monaco.”

Asked about Tuesday’s fixture, Allegri added: “It’s a quarter-final that will be decided over 180 minutes like all the other last eight ties. No anxiety or euphoria. Everyone says we’re favourites but football games are decided on the pitch.”

Parma, who at one stage had to postpone two successive games due to their financial problems, have taken seven points from their last three outings, but remain 10 points from the safety zone with nine matches left.

Genoa beat one-from-bottom Cagliari 2-0, pushing the Sardinians (21 points) closer to Serie B, and Inter Milan won 3-0 at Hellas Verona to end a seven-match winless run in all competitions. Roberto Mancini’s side are joint eighth alongside AC Milan and Genoa with 41 points.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2015

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