Parma change coaches ahead of San Siro clash: Alberto Gilardino makes his debut against unbeaten Inter
The match between Inter and Parma, scheduled for Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, has taken on additional significance following a change in the visitors' dugout. Alberto Gilardino will take charge of Parma in an official match for the first time, facing the reigning Italian champions, who remain unbeaten after five rounds of Serie A. Inter aim to continue their pursuit of the top spot, while Parma, under their new coach, are trying to consolidate their position in the lower part of the table.
According to Inter's official figures, the Milan club have collected 13 points from four wins and one draw, sharing first place with Roma and Lazio. Parma, meanwhile, sit 15th with four points after five matches. A victory would allow the hosts to move at least temporarily into sole possession of first place, regardless of the results of their rivals, who play later in the round.
Why did Parma part ways with Carlos Cuesta?
On September 27, Parma officially announced that Carlos Cuesta was no longer the first-team coach. In their statement, the club explained that the decision followed discussions between the club and the Spanish coach, during which it was concluded that the necessary conditions for continuing their joint sporting project no longer existed. The club emphasized that the separation was mutually agreed upon, without providing more detailed reasons from either the dressing room or management. The change was therefore officially explained as a divergence of views regarding future development rather than the consequence of any single result.
Just two days later, on September 29, Parma introduced Alberto Gilardino. According to the club's announcement, he signed a contract until the end of the 2026/27 season, with an option for the club to extend the agreement for another two seasons. His arrival represents more than simply a change of the person on the touchline: the coaching staff now includes assistant coach Gaetano Caridi, technical collaborator Francesco Valiani, fitness coach Antonio Bovenzi and analyst Mirco Vecchi. President Kyle J. Krause and CEO Federico Cherubini have thus, at least formally, begun a new phase of the project. Gilardino was presented on October 1 at the Ennio Tardini Stadium, and his first official test comes against Inter.
Victory over Genoa preceded the coaching change
What makes the entire situation unusual is that Parma are not arriving in Milan following a defeat, but after their first league victory of the season. On September 20, the team defeated Genoa 2-1 at home, with José David Romero and Pontus Almqvist scoring according to the club's match report. Romero opened the scoring in the first half, Genoa equalized through Milutin Osmajić, and Almqvist secured all three points in the 80th minute. Cuesta was still in charge of Parma for that match. This sequence of events therefore demonstrates that the decision to part ways went beyond the immediate result of the team's most recent fixture.
The victory allowed Parma to reach four points and somewhat ease the pressure caused by their poor start to the league campaign. Nevertheless, from the new coach's perspective, the fact remains that the team have lacked consistency in their performances, particularly away from home. According to a Lega Serie A overview, Parma have lost four consecutive away league matches, having last earned points on the road in April against Udinese. Gilardino therefore inherits a squad that has recently experienced the satisfaction of victory but has yet to resolve its problems with performances away from its own stadium.
Gilardino returns to the club where he became a top-class goalscorer
For 44-year-old Gilardino, Parma hold a special place in his career. He played there from 2002 to 2005 and established himself as one of the most sought-after Italian strikers of his generation. According to a historical overview of the Italian league, he scored 23 league goals in each of the 2003/04 and 2004/05 seasons, a total of 46 in just two seasons. His goals were not only valuable on an individual level: in June 2005, he also scored in the second leg of the relegation play-off against Bologna, in which Parma secured their top-flight status with a 2-0 victory. He subsequently moved to Milan and is now returning to the club as a coach more than two decades later.
San Siro is also an important landmark in his footballing biography. While still a Parma player, he scored against Inter there in September 2004 in a match that ended 2-2, and in February 2005 he scored against the same opponents again in another 2-2 draw. He later spent three seasons playing for Milan, winning the Champions League with the club in 2007. He was also a member of the Italian national team that became world champions in 2006. His return to the stadium where he played as a Milan striker therefore carries a personal dimension, although the result achieved by his new team will be considerably more important than the symbolism of that return.
After ending his playing career, Gilardino worked at Rezzato, Pro Vercelli, Genoa and Pisa. By taking over Parma, he returns to a familiar club environment, but assumes a different responsibility from the one he had as the team's leading goalscorer. The relatively long international break has given him slightly more time to familiarize himself with the squad than a new coach would normally receive in the middle of a season. Nevertheless, any tactical changes will need to be assessed over several matches rather than solely on the result of his debut against the champions.
Former Parma coach Cristian Chivu in the opposite dugout
The match brings an interesting encounter between two coaches connected with Parma. Inter are managed by Cristian Chivu, who received his opportunity to work with a first team in Serie A at that very club in February 2025. According to league statistics, he recorded three victories, seven draws and three defeats in 13 league matches, helping Parma remain in the top tier of Italian football. He subsequently moved to Inter and won the league title in the 2025/26 season, while the Milan club announced in June 2026 that his contract had been extended until 2028. On Saturday, he will therefore welcome his former club, which has since changed its coaching direction.
Chivu and Gilardino have already faced each other as coaches. Lega Serie A reports that they met twice in matches between Inter and Pisa during the previous season, with Chivu winning on both occasions. Those results show that the two coaches are not unfamiliar with each other and that their preparations will incorporate experiences from their previous encounters. The ability to adapt will be important for Gilardino, while Chivu must prepare Inter to face opponents whose habits under their new coach are only beginning to take shape.
Inter target sole possession of first place, but defence remains a concern
Inter enter the sixth round with one of the best attacking records in the league. According to Lega Serie A figures, they have scored 15 goals, with as many as nine different players getting on the scoresheet. Inter's official analysis states that after five rounds, the team had registered the most shots on target, 37, the most crosses from open play, and an average possession rate of 63.1 percent. The same analysis puts expected goals, a statistical assessment of the quality of chances created, at 14.5 for Inter and 3.4 for Parma. These figures demonstrate a considerable difference in attacking output so far, but they do not in themselves guarantee the outcome of a single match.
Before the league break, Inter drew 2-2 away to Roma, recovering from a two-goal deficit. Coming back from such a situation confirms their ability to create chances and change the tempo, but it also draws attention once again to their defensive balance. According to the league's statistical overview, Inter have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight official matches across all competitions. This is an important distinction compared with their unbeaten status: the team have not lost a match in Serie A, but that does not mean they have been undefeated in every competition. Chivu therefore has reason to seek greater control of matches rather than relying exclusively on attacking firepower.
At a press conference on October 9, according to a Sky Sport report, Inter's coach warned that Parma must not be underestimated. He also spoke about the need to manage properly the workloads of players who had been on international duty, given the demanding schedule awaiting them. During the break, his team had only a limited number of training sessions with all the internationals present, which could affect their final preparations. For the hosts, it will be particularly important to avoid a situation in which control of possession does not also translate into control of the space behind the ball.
What will Parma look like under their new coach?
Ahead of the match, Gilardino said he was satisfied with the players' approach during the days of preparation, but stressed the importance of mental readiness. According to SportMediaset's report from his October 9 press conference, he described Inter as one of the strongest teams and emphasized that individual duels, the distances between players and making use of moments when Parma can threaten the hosts would be crucial. He also discussed tactical adaptability: the team can start in one formation and change it depending on how the match develops. Events on the pitch will show how effective that flexibility can be against Inter's pressure.
Players capable of quickly linking defence and attack could have particularly important roles. Romero has already demonstrated his finishing ability against Genoa, while the young midfielders are expected to provide energy and the ability to escape pressure. According to the same report, Gilardino spoke about the importance of Giovanni Fabbian and his runs into the penalty area, while also discussing the qualities of Adrián Bernabé and Simone Lontani. He emphasized that quality footballers can play together, provided the coach finds a way to integrate their strengths into a shared system. This is particularly delicate in an away match in which Parma will probably spend a considerable amount of time without the ball.
The squad situation is not entirely straightforward either. Before the match, Gilardino said that the condition of certain defenders was still being assessed and that unnecessary risks would not be taken with players returning to full match fitness. On October 9, Parma published a list of 24 players called up for the trip to Inter, including goalkeepers Edoardo Corvi, Giovanni Daffara and Simone Ghidotti, as well as players such as Enrico Delprato, Diego Carlos, Bernabé, Fabbian and Romero. The squad list itself does not reveal the starting eleven, and the possibilities for the new system remain open until the official line-ups are announced. In Gilardino's first match, organized defending, disciplined pressing and several effective counterattacking moves could also serve as useful indicators of progress, regardless of the final result.
Çalhanoğlu returns, Inter without Jones
Inter also have important squad matters to address. According to Sky Sport's report from Chivu's press conference, Hakan Çalhanoğlu is available again after injury problems, and Djed Spence is also expected to return to the matchday squad. The Turkish midfielder's return is important for organizing play in the middle of the pitch, distributing the ball and helping the hosts establish a more effective possession rhythm. At the same time, Curtis Jones is unavailable because of adductor problems, as reported by Italian sports media following medical examinations. Chivu must therefore balance the return of recovered players with absences and the workloads of those returning from international duty.
The schedule after Parma presents an additional challenge. Inter face Club Brugge at San Siro in the Champions League as early as October 13, before visiting Bologna in Serie A on October 17. According to the Milan club's official calendar, the remainder of October also includes matches against Shakhtar, Fiorentina and Venezia, as well as the city derby against Milan. Parma, whose next league match is against Torino on October 19, have a different schedule and more room to analyse their initial changes in detail after Gilardino's debut.
Head-to-head history favours Inter
Historical statistics also explain why the hosts are considered favourites. According to Inter's official overview, the clubs have played 58 matches in Serie A: Inter have won 25 times, Parma 16, while 17 encounters have ended in draws. Inter are unbeaten in their last nine league meetings, with six wins and three draws. Lega Serie A separately states that in 34 official matches across all competitions played in Milan, Inter have recorded 19 victories, Parma three, while 12 matches ended without a winner. The difference between the two sets of statistics arises because one covers only league matches, whereas the other includes all official competitions and matches hosted in Milan.
Their most recent meeting at San Siro is particularly interesting. On May 3, 2026, Inter defeated Parma 2-0 thanks to goals from Marcus Thuram and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, mathematically securing their 21st Italian league title. Chivu was in charge of the winning side on that occasion, while Cuesta occupied the opposite dugout. Five months later, the same clubs meet at a completely different stage of the championship and with a new coach for the visitors. History favours Inter, but Gilardino's Parma have no obligation to defend past results in this encounter: they must demonstrate what their future will look like.
When is Inter – Parma being played, and what comes next?
The sixth-round Serie A match kicks off on October 10 at 6 p.m. local time in Milan, at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, also known as San Siro. According to Inter's announcement, DAZN holds the broadcasting rights for the Italian market, while availability in other countries depends on local holders of television and digital rights. Lega Serie A has appointed Kevin Bonacina as the main referee, with Daniele Paterna serving as VAR official. The match forms part of a round in which several direct rivals at the top play later, giving Inter an opportunity to send the first message to the rest of the league through their result.
For the hosts, three points would mean extending their unbeaten league run and at least temporarily opening up a gap over Roma and Lazio. For Parma, a positive result would bring points needed in their fight for a more stable position, as well as additional confidence in their new coach. Gilardino's start therefore cannot be judged solely on whether he manages to surprise the favourites: organization without the ball, responses to Inter's pressure and signs of a new playing style will also be important. San Siro will provide the first answer to the question of how ready Parma are for the change they announced at the end of September.
Sources:
- Parma Calcio 1913 – official announcement of the mutually agreed end of cooperation with Carlos Cuesta (link)
- Parma Calcio 1913 – Gilardino's appointment, contract duration and composition of the coaching staff (link)
- Parma Calcio 1913 – match report on the victory over Genoa on September 20, 2026 (link)
- Lega Serie A – match preview, head-to-head statistics and current results (link)
- Lega Serie A – history of Gilardino's playing career and his connection with Parma and San Siro (link)
- FC Internazionale Milano – league standings, advanced statistics, head-to-head history and broadcasting information (link)
- SportMediaset – Gilardino's statements at the press conference ahead of his debut (link)
- Sky Sport – Chivu's statements about Parma, international players and returning squad members (link)
- Parma Calcio 1913 – list of players called up for the away match against Inter (link)
- FC Internazionale Milano – schedule of league and European matches during October (link)