Parma begin long road to recovery

Parma completed the first step in their long battle to get back to the top of Italian football as they were promoted to Lega Pro on Sunday.

It marks a significant step for the club – now under the new guise of Parma Calcio 1913 – after they were declared bankrupt last year having racked up debts in excess of €218million.

The new club were admitted into Serie D and have strolled through the division unbeaten so far, winning 25 of their 35 matches.

This weekend's 2-1 victory over Delta Rovigo mathematically confirmed their rise into the third tier for next season, much to the delight of Gigi Apolloni.

"This is the culmination of a project begun months ago," said the head coach. "The boys have honoured the jersey in the name of every fan. This is a victory for the whole city."