Parma, 7 February 2025 – The comments from CEO Federico Cherubini, made during the presentation conference in the ‘Gianfranco Bellè’ press room at the Stadio Ennio Tardini in Parma.

PRESIDENT KYLE J. KRAUSE'S VISION

‘I believe that for me, it was a wonderful opportunity to join a project that I have known and followed carefully for years because I was lucky enough to meet President Kyle J. Krause before he acquired Parma, and so, I have always followed the Parma story. Then, when the President acquired the club, I followed them with great attention. What struck me was that from the first day he spoke to me as President of Parma a few years ago, he had shown me a vision for the Club. I saw this vision then and I see it now. And even today when I talk to him, I feel that there is this strong desire to achieve really important objectives, I believe that his commitment, not only in terms of money, has also demonstrated how he has progressed with this project with great determination and I am certainly convinced that together, we will be able to achieve all the objectives that the Club has set itself. Usually the urgent matters come from the sporting side, which is naturally the most exposed and also the one that most determines the mood of the club. I would say that today, there is certainly a situation to deal with in terms of remaining in Serie A, which is very important for the Club, and so today we can say that the efforts of all the people in the sporting side are all directed there, but this must also not interrupt the medium to long-term planning and vision, because in my opinion, if there is one truly positive characteristic that I believe President Krause has brought, it is the ability to have a long-term vision, which is not easy to find in our current Italian football system.’

THE PHILOSOPHY OF WORK AND BALANCE

‘I've only been here a few days, so I think it would be presumptuous to say that I've understood the issues. I'm talking a lot with the people who have shared this journey with me in recent months and of course there are things that we objectively need to be able to do better. Surely being able to interpret the matches in a way that shows that we want to stay in this category, because it is essential to play in the Serie A and therefore, this also depends on the team spirit being able to shine on the pitch in every match. I am convinced that the qualities of the group can allow us to reach our objective, but qualities alone are not enough if they are not combined with the right attitude, and so I expect to see something important from the point of view of attitude and the Cagliari game is exactly this, a very important test. I wouldn't consider these first few days as a typical week because I'm still getting to know the ins and outs of everything that goes on both inside and outside the Club and of course in the city, because, in my opinion, the sporting results of a Club cannot be separated from its bond with the city, with the people and with the territory. The ambitions and objectives of the Club are very wide-ranging - of course we hope to bring Parma back to the highest levels over the years - but it is clear that this link with the territory must be the basis. So today my typical day, I repeat, is made up of many meetings, listening as much as possible to what all the people, both from the Club and the institutions, have to say. Tomorrow, of course, I want to have a more planned week, which will be balanced between the typical aspects of a football club's corporate life and the sporting side. It's clear that these two worlds, which have often been one of the problems that football clubs have in the past, is not being able to find the right harmony between them. I, on the other hand, believe that my role should be to work towards this: to be able to combine sporting interests with economic, commercial and institutional interests, everything that is part of an important football club like Parma.’

REACHING OUR GOALS WITH YOUNG PLAYERS

‘The fact that we are the youngest team in the league is an objective fact. The equation youth = increased risk may be true, but to think that the youngest team in the league must necessarily, how can I put it, do badly, is not right because even the recent history of the Italian league shows that indeed, even the youngest team in the league still achieves their objectives 90% of the time. I say this because I don't want any internal or external excuses to be created and used, thinking ‘We're young, so whether we achieve the result or not, we have this factor that lifts us up.’ If we don't achieve our objective at the end of the championship, we won't be able to appeal to our youth, so it will mean that we haven't been capable of doing what we think our qualities allow us to do.’

A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND BELONGING

‘I met the fans after a very difficult game and I understood all the legitimate anger a fan could feel, especially one who came to the stadium hoping for a comeback game and instead witnessed a defeat. I believe that the fans have made an important distinction: many fans have recognised that the team is not lacking in commitment, and I believe that this is the first thing that a fan base should demand from their team. I'll add something else. That this commmitment is part of a player's responsibility being a professional, representing an important club like Parma. Footballers have to take to the field and I take their commitment for granted, but they have to give that something extra that comes from passion and a sense of belonging and identity, and we still have a little way to go in this respect.’

RESTRUCTURING OF THE TECHNICAL AND SCOUTING TEAMS

‘My arrival has led to a reorganisation of the First Team Technical Area. In the next few days, Mauro Pederzoli will take on other activities in the Technical Area, remaining within the Club. And then Alessandro Pettinà and Mathieu Lacome have been expanding their sphere of responsibility for some time now, while Mamo Notari will remain as First Team scouting manager. Let's just say that there has been a small reorganisation and we are moving forward. Mauro will remain in the sporting management, and together we will evaluate specific projects within the Technical Area. Sometimes we will also look at future objectives. Mauro, because of his experience, can be useful in many other roles. Scouting? I've been through different phases, also related to the world of scouting, from when we used to go and watch matches to when technology was introduced that allowed us to make selections in different ways. In 2025, we can't ignore the use of technology even when making decisions, but maybe because I'm old school, sometimes, gut feeling can help. In this case, when it comes to scouting, we can profile footballers using systems, we can do analyses that are close to the objectives, but that's no use if we don't know the boy's history and don't talk to him. I believe that these aspects related to character and personality are decisive. I don't want to be nostalgic or too contemporary, I believe that a balance between the two schools can lead to the right compromise.’

JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW

‘In the last few days, I have been involved in the meetings held by the Club to make certain decisions. Arriving a few days before the end of the transfer window and giving specific instructions regarding work that has been carried out over the last few months seemed inappropriate to me. I tried to give some indications in the last few days, some advice, but the work had already been done. In this session, six new signings were completed, and apart from the sales, I believe that the club has also sent a strong signal that it wants to achieve its objective and maintain its position.’

THE MEETING WITH PECCHIA

‘I met him, I didn't follow the training sessions very much because of a whole series of fixtures, but let's say that the process was made easier by the fact that I'd already had the good fortune of working with Pecchia before: it was a year at Juventus when he was in charge of the second team. It was easier to break the initial distances, as it was with his staff. As well as with Mauro Pederzoli, Mattia and Mamo Notari. It's not all new to me, it wasn't difficult. How do you get out of a crisis? There's no formula, it's up to the people close to the team to find the solutions. I believe that there is something contagious in football, our attitudes: when the people within the team and those around them start to lose confidence, that feeling spreads like a virus. On the contrary, when you believe in something and you believe in a goal where everyone faces it with the right spirit, it is a great strength, great commitment and a great sense of responsibility. To all the people who have the Parma Calcio crest on their shirt or tracksuit, today we ask for this sense of responsibility to carry on this project which is truly important and deserves the utmost commitment from everyone.’

PARMA WOMEN AND RETURNING TO SERIE A

‘My initial impression was very good. I was in Noceto on Sunday for the match, but then I came back yesterday to get to know the facility and the people who work there better. I think a great job has been done, but above all, both on Sunday during the match, and yesterday when I visited the facility, I saw all the people working there are very involved and determined to achieve the goal. I must also say that that our facility, the pitches and all the infrastructures built by Parma in this last period make it one of the best facilities, placing Parma at the highest levels for the standards used. So, the impression was positive: let's hope we can finish the championship as we all hope and get back into Serie A.’

THE STADIO TARDINI PROJECT

‘I had a meeting with the Mayor a few days ago, it was very pleasant, because as well as seeing him at the stadium, I met him at the Town Hall. He told me many things, about the city and the projects that the Administration is carrying out with Parma Calcio. The stadium first and foremost, but also others. We talked about the possibility of developing regular events together. The stadium issue is a sensitive one, I realised how much work has been done behind the scenes. I saw the will of the Administration, which I believe is able to represent the interests of everyone, from the Parma Calcio community, the fans, the club and the city. Soon, in the next few days, President Kyle J. Krause will also arrive, and it will be one of the main issues to be addressed. Once I've had the chance to do this and to fully understand the state of affairs, and once he arrives, I can address this issue with him on our side, and I will be able to make my contribution on these issues. Hopefully, we can come to a pleasant conclusion on what has been an ongoing issue for a few years now’.