Cagliari vs Parma preview - Ballardini eager to build on victory

Posted Sunday, December 11, 2011 by PA

Cagliari coach Davide Ballardini expects his players to build on last weekend's triumph at Catania when they host Parma on Sunday.

Ballardini's side stunned Catania 1-0 on Sunday to bring an eight-game winless run to an end. Victor Ibarbo's goal allowed the Sardinian outfit to climb to seventh in the standings.

The result marked Cagliari's fourth win of the season and their third triumph on the road.

"We have to keep working hard," Ballardini said. "It's important that we keep our focus and we give continuity to our results.

"We want to end the year as best as possible but we still have difficult games ahead of us, including Sunday's game against Parma."

Parma are in the hunt for a striker when the transfer window reopens in January.

The Ducale club lie 11th in the standings and have mustered just one win on their travels this season.

Lack of goalscoring has been Parma's main problem away from home, where they have found the back of the net just five times.

AC Milan's Filippo Inzaghi is a target, with the veteran former Italy man reportedly looking to leave the Rossoneri due to a lack of playing time.

"With Pippo (Inzaghi) we have a great rapport," Parma president Tommaso Ghirardi said. "He is a friend, a champion and I would love to see him wear the Parma colours.

"However, I think it would be a difficult deal to negotiate and I'm not even sure he would want to leave Milan."

In the meantime, Parma will be hoping Sebastian Giovinco can increase his goal tally.

Giovinco, who is the team's top scorer with seven league goals, was denied by the woodwork in last weekend's goalless draw against Palermo.