Parma - Cesena preview - Cesena hope to turn season around

Cesena believe they can turn their season around, starting with Sunday's Serie A encounter at fellow strugglers Parma.

The Emilia-Romagna minnows have won just one of their 19 league games so far and are 19th in the Serie A standings, nine points adrift of safety at the halfway point of the campaign.

Last weekend's 3-2 home defeat to Torino was Cesena's 12th loss of the campaign.

"We are disappointed even though we knew this would be a difficult year for us," Cesena coach Domenico Di Carlo told the Italian press. "But there are still 19 games left to play and anything can happen.

"We cannot give up.

"I expect an important reaction from my players at Parma.

"We just need to make fewer mistakes and have more confidence in ourselves."

Cesena have not won since the opening day of the campaign and have the second weakest defensive line in the competition behind Parma.

Di Carlo's side have given away nine goals in their last three league games.

"We need to show more focus in the back," Di Carlo said. "We cannot expect to win games if we concede so many goals."

Cesena travel to the Ennio Tardini stadium having mustered just two points away from home this season.

Fortunately for Cesena, rivals Parma have had their share of problems.

The Ducale club, who finished sixth last season, lie at the foot of the standings level with Cesena on nine points.

Last weekend's 2-0 home defeat to Sampdoria was Parma's third loss in their last four league games.

Parma have found the back of the net just twice in their last five league games, while they have kept a clean sheet just three times all season.

The Gialloblu, coached by Roberto Donadoni, have brought in much-needed reinforcements this week.

Midfielders Antonio Nocerino and Cristian Rodriguez have joined Parma on loan from AC Milan and Atletico Madrid respectively.

FC Porto forward Silvestre Varela, who spent the first half of the season at English Premier League side West Brom, has also moved to the Serie A outfit on a temporary basis.

The hosts, who have won just three league games so far, will be without suspended defender Alessandro Lucarelli this weekend.