Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/531627
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 24 JUNE 2015 20 THE Gialloblu club failed to find a buyer to complete a deal with their administrators to save the debt-ridden outfit. A statement from Parma read: "The administrators of Parma FC Dr Angelo Anedda and Dr Alber- to Guiotto announce that, at 14.00 on Monday, June 22, 2015, no of- fer has been made to purchase the sports club. "In the coming hours, the ad- ministrators will meet with the committee of creditors and the empowered judge Dr Pietro Ro- gato to make the necessary deci- sions regarding the procedure of bankruptcy and a provisional ac- countancy period." Parma were officially declared bankrupt earlier this year but were able to end the 2014-15 Serie A campaign thanks to a bail out from the Lega Serie A. Former American baseball player Mike Piazza made a bid to acquire Parma but pulled out on Monday, hours before a court deadline. In a statement to the Italian press, Piazza wrote: "It is with great sadness and regret that I have to announce I am abandon- ing negotiations to buy Parma FC. "I understand and share the dis- appointment of the Parma fans for this decision. "Together with my co-investors on the project, we did not feel the necessary investment to cover the current and future debts of a squad whose foundation has been strongly compromised was sus- tainable." Parma finished sixth in Serie A last season but were not granted a UEFA licence by the Italian Foot- ball Federation to compete in the Europa League due to financial ir- regularities. The club was beset by financial problems throughout the season. Parma also struggled on the pitch, winning just six of their 38 matches to finish bottom of the standings. Founded in 1913, Parma won two UEFA Cups and a Cup Winners' Cup during the 1990s and lifted the Coppa Italia three times. Parma finished runners up to Juventus in Serie A in the 1996-97 campaign. Sport SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL CITY have already had two offers - the latest worth £40million - re- jected but reports suggest they are preparing a third for the England international. Liverpool value the 20-year-old, who still has two years remaining on his current deal but has refused to sign a new £100,000-a-week contract, at £50million-plus. And while some have criticised that valuation Vieira is a fan of the youngster. "I think if you go down and ask 10 people what they think about him, I think nine would give you a positive answer," Vieira said in an interview at an event in New York for Western Union's PASS initia- tive. "I would be part of the nine peo- ple because he's shown how good he is, how well he's been doing at Liverpool. "If he is in the market, not just City would be interested in him. "But that's the first team and I'm not part of the first team, I work with the academy so I'm just giv- ing you my opinion." Vieira also believes the loss of their Premier League title honour to Chelsea last season should be viewed in context. "The target of the football club is to always try to win the Premier League title. You only have one team who can win it," he added. "Chelsea won it last year, so that means United, City, Arsenal and Liverpool were not going to be happy, but I think what is impor- tant is to analyse the situation and analyse what the club has achieved in the past four years. "If you analyse the last four years, it's been more successful than an- ything else. "Don't forget that four or five years ago, the club wasn't at that level. "I think the journey of the club so far has been fantastic and you just have to look at the players we have in our squad." Manchester City's football development executive Patrick Vieira rates Raheem Sterling highly and believes the club's interest in the Liverpool forward is understandable City chief Vieira 'impressed' by Raheem Sterling Parma set for amateur league Italian club Parma will have to start from Serie D next season under a new name after announcing bankruptcy on Monday An end of an era for Parma FC