As 2024 comes to an end, Parma and Monza prepare to face off in a pivotal Serie A encounter at the Stadio Ennio Tardini on Saturday afternoon. Both sides enter the match looking to climb out of the relegation zone, with Parma sitting 15th and Monza languishing at the bottom of the table.
Parma, who returned to the top flight as Serie B champions, have struggled to find consistency this season. They’ve lost their last three matches, including a humbling 5-0 defeat to Roma last weekend. This poor run has left them just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Monza’s situation is even more dire. Winless since October and without a single home victory this season, they find themselves rock bottom, five points from safety. Their poor form led to the dismissal of manager Alessandro Nesta, with Salvatore Bocchetti stepping in as his replacement.
An intriguing subplot to this match is the contrasting home and away records of the two teams. Parma have struggled at the Tardini this season, failing to keep a single clean sheet in their home matches. However, they’ve shown flashes of the attacking prowess that earned them promotion.
Conversely, Monza have performed better away from home, collecting 70% of their points on the road. This could give them hope as they travel to Parma, despite their overall poor form.
For Parma, Dennis Man has been the standout performer this season, directly involved in 12 goals across all competitions. His creativity and goal-scoring threat will be crucial for the hosts.
Monza will look to Dany Mota to rediscover his early-season form. After a strong start with four goals in his first six appearances, Mota has failed to find the net in his last nine outings.
This match marks the first-ever Serie A fixture between Parma and Monza, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the encounter. Parma holds the historical edge, having gone unbeaten in their last six second-tier meetings with Monza.
Team News
Both sides are dealing with significant injury concerns. Parma’s defense has been hit hard, with Enrico Del Prato, Emanuele Valeri, Adrian Bernabe, Alessandro Circati, Lautaro Valenti, and Yordan Osorio all doubtful or ruled out. In attack, Ange-Yoan Bonny is expected to lead the line, supported by the in-form Dennis Man.
Monza will be without captain Matteo Pessina, while Milan Djuric, Mattia Valoti, Samuele Vignato, Luca Caldirola, and Roberto Gagliardini are also sidelined. Daniel Maldini returns from suspension and could partner with Dany Mota in attack, although Mirko Maric may be given a rare start given Mota’s recent goal drought.
Expected Starting XIs
Parma: Suzuki; Coulibaly, Valenti, Balogh, Valeri; Keita, Sohm; Man, Hernani, Almqvist; Bonny
Monza: Turati; Izzo, Mari, Carboni; Birindelli, Bianco, Bondo, Kyriakopoulos; Caprari, Maldini; Mota
Match Prediction
Given Parma’s attacking prowess and home advantage, they enter the match as slight favorites. However, Monza’s away form and the potential ‘new manager bounce’ under Bocchetti could make this a closely contested affair.
Expect an open, attacking game with both teams desperate for points. Parma’s superior firepower may just give them the edge in what could be a 2-1 victory, but Monza will certainly not go down without a fight.
Prediction: Parma 2-1 Monza
