Parma skipper Alessandro Lucarelli admits the players feel "abandoned".

Lucarelli revealed Parma's players haven't been paid since last July.

"We haven't heard from or seen Ghirardi since he sold the club to Taci. The only wage we received this season was in July and that was net, so it didn't include tax and pension contributions," explained the captain.

"It is not easy, as since November - when the deadlines passed - we haven't talked about football in the locker room.

"We tried not to let it leak out and focus on the game, with it's inevitably going to stay in your mind and you waste energy all week wondering whether the club is going to collapse, if we're getting paid and who is actually in charge."

He added: "We felt abandoned, above all by the Federation and institutions, as nobody was interested in Parma until a few days ago. They only turned up when they realised we might not play on Sunday.

"Now we have to see whether they are interested in what is best for Parma or whether the Serie A season can end."