Parma will begin the Serie A season with a five-point deduction after striker Emanuele Calaio’s alleged attempt to fix the match that sealed their promotion, the Italian football federation (FIGC) said yesterday.
A 2-0 win at Spezia on May 18 saw two-time UEFA Cup winners Parma promoted to the top division just three years after a financial meltdown led to relegation from Serie A and rebirth in the semi-professional Serie D, Italian football’s fourth tier.
Calaio, 36, has been handed a two-year ban for match-fixing after he sent text messages to a former teammate that appeared to ask Spezia players not to try too hard.
