Juventus Tumble Out of Top Four After Parma Loss

Parma pulled off a sensational 1-0 victory over Juventus at the Stadio Ennio Tardini on April 23, 2025, dealing a crushing blow to the Bianconeri’s Champions League hopes. 

The rescheduled Matchday 33 fixture, postponed from April 21 due to Pope Francis’ passing, saw Mateo Pellegrino’s towering header in first-half stoppage time silence the Old Lady, dropping them to fifth with 59 points, one behind Bologna’s Champions League spot. Parma, under Cristian Chivu’s resolute leadership, climbed to 15th with 31 points, six clear of the relegation zone, as reported by ESPN.

Juventus, led by Igor Tudor since his March appointment, entered as favorites, boasting a 65.6% possession edge but lacking the killer instinct. The first half dragged, with both sides trading cautious jabs until Pellegrino ignited the Tardini, rising above Pierre Kalulu to nod in Emanuele Valenti’s looping cross with pinpoint precision, per VAVEL.

Tudor’s side, plagued by injuries to Teun Koopmeiners, Federico Gatti, and Gleison Bremer, mustered only two shots on target from 16 attempts. Francisco Conceição nearly equalized, his curling left-footed strike grazing the post, but Parma’s Zion Suzuki stood firm, parrying a late Dušan Vlahović header.

Tudor, visibly crestfallen, told DAZN, “We lacked a bit of everything—determination, desire. We pushed but weren’t dangerous enough,” lamenting the concession from a 40-meter cross. Chivu praised Parma’s “competitive spirit,” with Pellegrino’s goal marking Juventus’ 10th headed concession this season, a grim milestone not seen since 2009-10, per Football Italia. Parma’s fifth straight draw streak ended in triumph, their first win over Juventus since 2015, fueling their survival bid. As Juventus face Napoli next, Tudor’s tactical shift to a 3-4-2-1 faces scrutiny.