LIVE ON ESPN

Relativity is everything in football as Parma, hailed quite rightly as this year’s revelation, host Juventus having also failed to win their last three games.

However, Francesco Guidolin’s men have only lost once in their last fives matches, the defeat coming away to Roma on December 20.

The Gialloblu also boast a formidable home record, second only to Inter’s, having won six and drawn one of their eight games at the Ennio Tardini this season.

With just two points separating Parma from Juventus, one can safely assume the fifth placed Gialloblu will be eager to inflict yet more misery on Ciro Ferrara and his beleaguered players.

They go into this fixture with form, too, after a winter tour of Malta yielded two big victories –
3-1 against Valletta and 4-0 against Hibernians.

At centre-stage was an attacking trident of former Juventini: Valeri Bojinov, Nicola Amoruso and Davide Lanzafame.

Meanwhile, Juventus sought winter refuge in Saudi Arabia where they faced Al Ittihad, drawing 2-2 thanks to goals from Seba Giovinco and Christian Poulsen.

The friendly gave an indication that Ferrara would return to the 4-4-2 formation used under his predecessor, Claudio Ranieri.

Unfortunately for him, it’s not always the system that wins the game, but the performances of individual players.

Alex Manninger, the former Arsenal goalkeeper, standing in for the injured Gigi Buffon, was simply atrocious against the Saudis, making two gaffes that led to two goals.

Hopefully his performance will act as a wake up call for Wednesday if, that is, a run of three-straight defeats against Cagliari, Bari and Catania hasn’t already had the desired effect.

Ferrara needs a win if he is to stave off the talk that Guus Hiddink is being groomed as his replacement.

With Milan set to arrive in Turin on Sunday, the need to carry three points away from Parma is all the more imperative.

Keep an eye on: Daniele Galloppa (Parma) – The absence of a ball-playing central midfielder has really cost Juventus this season, and Galloppa can show them what they are missing on Wednesday. The 24-year-old is a well-known Inter fan and would perhaps like nothing better than sticking it to their fiercest rivals.

Last five in Serie A: Parma (W W D D L) Juventus (W W L L L)

Last season: Not played

Parma (probable): Mirante; Zaccardo, Dellafiore, Panucci, Castellini; Dzemaili, Morrone, Galloppa; Lanzafame, Amoruso, Bojinov

Juventus (probable): Manninger; Caceres, Grygera, Legrottaglie, Grosso; Salihamidzic, Melo, Marchisio, De Ceglie; Trezeguet, Diego

Ref: Rizzoli

Well, we simply have to win and I'm sure we will see an improved performance, but as for whether we will win or not, you can't say. Yes we have better players but they are doing very well, just behind us, so it'll be really tough. If we lose, as is possible, then we really can't afford to given Ferrara any more time, the board will be taking the piss out of the fans.

hoping for a draw in this one, cant see juve winning though

I believe Juve will lose this match and change the coach, then will win the match against Milan at the weekend...

1st goal for Juve from Salihamidzic min.3
click here for the video

1st goal for Parma from Amoruso min.25
click here for the video

juve 2 x 1 parma right now

2nd goal for Juve from Castellini "OWN GOAL" min.39
click here for the video

We are playing like shit, Melo is fucking terrible right now.

Thanks Castellini.

Legrottaglie is also a donkey, playing terribly.

Marchisio put a great ball in for Legro who misses badly.

Grosso, Chiellini and Marchisio doing well, not the others.

Just started watching this

Diego just over

He gets fouled so many times, it's stupid.

Lots of arm waving and finger pointing from Juve players, at least they look interested today.

How the hell isn't that a foul on Brazzo, idiot.

Ooooh red card

Caceres gets sent off for his second booking, ridiculous tackle in the circumstances.

Probably be backs to the wall for Juve now.

Grygera is coming on now, whoopie.

Diego off, he had a decent game.

Salihamidzic off, De Ceglie on.

red card for Cáceres min.73
click here for the video

Parma are having a cry about a couple of decisions, but that was clear high foot.

Paloschi on, could be trouble.

The Juve bench get told off by the ref, for protesting a freekick loudly.

Amoruso wide.

6 minutes added on lol. Fergie time.

Ref gives Parma a dangerous freekick for a pretty innocuous handball because they shouted loudly.

Bojinov hits the wall. He reacts as if it was going in otherwise.

Fat boy Ghirardi gets up from his seat because Parma don't get another freekick.

Just complete backs to the wall now.

Amauri taken out last man on the counter, ref books Dellafiore. Joke. The guy would never have reached Amauri before he squared up to the keeper.

Grosso puts the freekick into orbit.

Mirante comes up for a corner, it comes out, he loses the ball and Grosso misses the open goal from about 70 yards.

Full time: Parma 1-2 Juventus.

Anybody see Bettega's reaction at the end? LOL. Good three points, rubbish performance in terms of attacking play, two shots and two goals and little cohesion again. Great defensively display by Captain Chiello held it together.

Manninger 6
Caceres 5
Legrottaglie 5
Chiellini 9
Grosso 6
Salihamidzic 6
Melo 6
Poulsen 6
Marchisio 7
Diego 7
Trezeguet 6 (Amauri 7)

I hope we only use that 4-4-1-1 away from home, it is ugly.

juve saved our ass there, guess this will buy ferrarra some time

It was a rubbish performance though, I hope this short term success doesn't harm us later in the season with the same mistakes we saw in the first half of the season.

Serie A Week 18 - 6/1/10 (14.00 UK)

Parma 1 - 2 Juventus

Salihamidzic 3 (J), Amoruso 25 (P), Castellini og 38 (J)

Stadio Tardini

It took an own goal for Juventus to get back on track with a truly precious victory in Parma.

Ciro Ferrara was under enormous pressure with Guus Hiddink's shadow hanging over him after going without a win in three Serie A games. Fabio Cannavaro was suspended, Momo Sissoko at the African Cup of Nations, Gigi Buffon, Vincenzo Iaquinta and Mauro Camoranesi injured. Only two points separated these teams in a head-to-head for third place and Parma's home record was of six wins, one draw and one defeat. Alessandro Lucarelli and Massimo Paci sat out bans, while MacDonald Mariga and Alessandro Manzoni were injured.

Parma's last win here over Juve was 1-0 on March 24 2002, the total record of their meetings being five victories each and eight draws.

Juventus broke through after three minutes with Hasan Salihamidzic. Giorgio Chiellini's header from a corner kick was flicked on by the former Bayern Munich man from six yards.

Alex Manninger was at full stretch to turn a Jonathan Biabiany angled drive off target.

There was bad news for the Bianconeri when David Trezeguet landed awkwardly and seemed to hurt his right ankle, making way for Amauri.

Moments later, Parma drew level at the Tardini. Former Juventus star Nicola Amoruso was on target with his towering header from Zenoni's cross, leaing above Nicola Legrottaglie.

Manninger had to fingertip an Amoruso screamer from distance out from under the crossbar.

However, Parma gifted Juve the lead with Castellini's howler. Diego's corner kick was deflected by Fabio Grosso and in a clumsy bid to nod over the bar, the Parma defender ended up heading into his own net. The corner had been earned because a wayward Martin Caceres cross was turning into a lob that had to be fingertipped out.

After the restart Grosso had an effort charged down, but at the other end Zenoni's cross flashed across the face of goal with no Parma teammates to get the final touch.

Diego's free kick scraped a coat of paint off the crossbar, but Juventus were reduced to 10 men for the final 20 minutes when Caceres picked up a second yellow card for his foul on Zaccardo in midfield.

Naturally Parma poured forward and laid siege to Manninger's goal, Amoruso drilling one of their best chances just wide. Valeri Bojinov fired a dangerous free kick right at the defensive wall.

Parma: Mirante; Zaccardo, Panucci, Dellafiore, Zenoni; Dzemaili, Morrone, Galloppa (Paloschi 81), Castellini (Bojinov 66); Biabiany, Amoruso

Juventus: Manninger; Caceres, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Grosso; Salihamidzic (De Ceglie 78), Poulsen, Felipe Melo, Marchisio; Diego (Grygera 75); Trezeguet (Amauri 22)

Ref: Rizzoli

Sent off: Caceres 72 (J)

I watched the last half. This is probably the worst result we can get. Parma were the better team, and even without the ref behind them they still would of been the better team.

Now we face a scary looking Milan side.

Well we can't defend properly so we are going to concede at least two, and we don't look too spectacular offensively, but thankfully Milan can be a bit hit and miss in defence depending on who is playing.