Serie A has already been in the safe for a few days, but in Little Paris they continue to live the dream: one hundred and eighty minutes to go, that is, two matches which, despite the objective already achieved, are worth another trophy in themselves. On the one hand the home match with Cremonese, to finish well in front of their fans and secure that first place which is worth the Cup; on the other, Friday evening’s derby against Reggiana. Which, if you think about it, is a separate chapter. Then add the incredible coincidence of the Cremo fans being twinned with those of the Regia… and then it becomes clear, like that of the Tardini is in fact an appetizer of the derby. With as many as twenty thousand spectators in the stands (of which 1200 of the grey-red faith) to watch the match.
The day is perfect for playing football, a beautiful spring sun shines on Parma, convincing even the most reluctant to go to the stadium: the Tardini every seat is sold out, with a festive atmosphere that starts from the streets adjacent to the stadium and is renewed before the match, with two rows of fans waiting and accompanying the team bus towards the changing rooms. The view inside is remarkable, especially for the curve, which is truly a human wall: a pity for that loud music, up until a few minutes from the start, which certainly doesn’t help to create the right atmosphere. However, the ducal fans take care of it, lighting everything up: the choreography that appears when the teams enter the pitch, as simple as it is impactful, is wonderful. A giant A, with the club colours. Just to reiterate the concept: Parma is back, and it doesn’t want to leave anymore.
On the other hand, the guests try to make themselves heard, and act as spoilsport: the match is little more than a friendly match while waiting for the playoffs, even if in short, against the yellow-blues it is still a very heartfelt match, for the reasons mentioned above. The chants against, on both sides, start already in the pre-match: inevitable, on the Parma side, the references to the cousins of the Square test. Then we leave and it’s immediately a spectacle: Parma scores, the stadium explodes, but the VAR doesn’t agree. And so here is the episode that breaks the game: red card, home team with ten men. On the Cremona side, Vazquez, the great ex of the day, takes center stage: spectacular goal, and a celebration that is nothing short of controversial. The home crowd explodes, every time the Argentine touches the ball there is a forest of boos. Even the referee management doesn’t like it much: in short, the climate isn’t hot just because of the temperature.
The fear of the party being ruined spreads, even if in the second half Pecchia’s boys put everything right: first with a draw, and then with the expulsion of an opponent which rebalances the count of red cards. Worth noting is a sensational error with an empty net on the Cremonese side, which is already in the annals of this sport. The home crowd breathes a sigh of relief, and excellent news arrives from Modena: Como doesn’t go beyond a draw, ergo one point is enough to secure first place, and lift the coveted cup at the end of the match. After the final whistle, the whole stadium flows into the centre, where an entire city duly celebrates the promotion. Is it over here? Nope: the last act will be on Friday, in Reggio Emilia. In a match that is worth Emilian supremacy. “We want to win the derby”, sing the Parma players in unison. In short: the feeling is that the best is yet to come…
Text by Stefano Brunetti
Photo by Giovanni Padovani and Stefano Brunetti
Photo Brunetti:
I like:
I like Loading…
Related
2024-05-08 10:26:10
#ParmaCremonese #starter #derby
