Parma match called off as financial chaos continues

MILAN (Reuters) - Table-propping Parma's Serie A match at home to Udinese on Sunday has been called off amid media reports that the hosts, mired in a financial crisis, cannot afford to pay police and stewards.

The Italian football federation (FIGC) said its president Carlo Tavecchio personally intervened and ordered the game to be postponed after the mayor of Parma demanded it be played behind closed doors.

The players said they had not received wages this season and were still waiting despite having set a deadline of Monday to be paid.

"The decision was made today by president Carlo Tavecchio after taking note of the measure by the mayor of Parma," said the FIGC in a statement.

The FIGC explained the decision came after the players' union and the coaches' association "expressed the discomfort (of their members) at playing behind closed doors".

Parma, who have already been docked one point for breaching financial regulations and were not allowed to play in the Europa League this season despite having qualified, have changed hands twice in the last two months.

Dastraso Holdings, a Cyprus-based conglomerate, took control in December and named Ermir Kodra, a 29-year-old Albanian, as president.

The club was then sold to the Slovenian-based Mapi group this month.

Giampietro Manenti, the latest president, said on taking over that he was confident of sorting out the problems and player wages would be paid.

"We spoke yesterday with president Manenti who told us the problem is just getting the money transferred into our accounts," team captain Alessandro Lucarelli told the Mediaset cable channel on Friday.

"He said the money has been paid but we're running out of patience. It's time for facts. We gave a precise deadline and now we must act as a team."

Parma's heyday was in the 1990s when they won the UEFA Cup twice, the European Cup Winners' Cup once and the Italian Cup twice as well as finishing runners-up in Serie A.

Coached by former Italy forward and coach Roberto Donadoni, they have mustered only 10 points in 23 games this season.

(Writing by Brian Homewood, editing by Tony Jimenez)