Parma pay saga takes new twist

Posted Wednesday, February 18, 2015 by Foxsports.com

Parmas owners say they have paid players for the first time since July but the players are yet to receive the money.

It is understood that the new president Giampietro Manenti transferred the outstanding 19m in unpaid wages late last night. The money, however, was coming from a foreign account, hence the delay.

"We don't know absolutely anything," Fabiano Santacroce, one of the players, told reporters as he drove into the training- ground. "We are just hoping for some good news."

Parmas players are threatening legal action if they face any more delays and a walkout has been mooted by the Italian footballers association.

In an additional twist, bailiffs for Italys tax authorities, Equitalia, were seen entering the training ground this morning.

The club was supposed to pay its outstanding tax bill for three months from July-September 2014 yesterday or face a two-point ban from the Italian FA.

The actions of Equitalia suggest this condition had not been met, meaning the club is likely to receive its second points deduction this season once the federal authorities are done investigating.

Parma have changed hands twice in the last two months.

Dastraso Holdings, a Cyprus-based conglomerate, took control in December and named Ermir Kodra, a 29-year-old Albanian, as president. The club was sold again two weeks ago to Slovenian-based Mapi group.

Giampietro Manenti, the latest president, said on taking over that he was confident of sorting out the problems.

Parma had one point deducted in December for breaching final regulations and Italian media said they could lose another five points over the latest problems.