PARMA, Italy (AP) — Parma hired Alberto Gilardino as coach on Tuesday, two days after parting ways with Carlos Cuesta.
The 44-year-old Gilardino — who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006 as a player — has been given a contract until the end of the season by the Serie A team.
Parma said the club also has “an option to extend for a further two seasons.”
Gilardino immediately faces a tough test as his first match in charge will be at Serie A champion Inter Milan on Oct. 10 after the international break.
Parma has won only one of its opening five Serie A matches. It beat Genoa in Cuesta’s last match in charge but only has four points.
Gilardino has previously coached Genoa and Pisa in Serie A. He was fired by Pisa in February after just one win in 23 games in Serie A.
It’s the third coaching change in Serie A this season after Paolo Vanoli replaced Fabio Grosso at Fiorentina and Raffaele Palladino replaced Domenico Tedesco at Bologna.
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