Antonio Benarrivo, the legendary full-back who spent his entire career at Parma from 1991 to 2004, made 362 appearances (20,015 minutes) and ranks second on the club’s all-time appearance list. Appearing as a guest on the 190th episode of “PARMATALK,” broadcast via SportParma, the former captain shared his thoughts on the season, the team, and officiating controversies.
Benarrivo backed head coach Fabio Cuésta, praising his work with a young squad: “What can you say about him? He arrived at a club he barely knew and instantly connected with a very young team. For a young coach to manage such a young group is no easy task. He created a positive environment and achieved extraordinary results. I was very pessimistic at the start of the season, but in the end, they secured safety early and even won big away games, bringing huge joy to the fans. Cuésta has started something remarkable — he has done an outstanding job.”
Discussing individual players, Benarrivo highlighted: “Ndiyae is an excellent center-back. I noticed him because I focus a lot on defending (laughs). He shows great concentration when opponents have the ball. Valeri is a full-back I really like — he performs well in all three phases of transition and still has plenty of room to grow given his age. Also, I think Parma have two fantastic goalkeepers: Suzuki and Corvi, who stepped in perfectly when needed.”
The Brindisi-born defender also weighed in on the controversial refereeing decisions in Parma’s match against Roma: “We’re always frustrated with referees who have to make split-second calls, but VAR should have intervened… I wonder who sits in the VAR room: former referees or former players? Without relevant experience, how can you judge a foul? I just don’t get it. VAR is a very effective tool, but they don’t know how to use it — it’s like having a car but not being able to drive. The people in the VAR room must understand football. They can’t be graduates of Bocconi University or LUISS University in Rome. It’s a disgrace because a team shouldn’t lose like this: not because of the team’s fault, not the coach’s fault, but because they don’t know how to use the tool.” Benarrivo also commented on the penalty awarded for a foul by Brighenti: “The penalty Roma got was a gift. The player wasn’t at fault, and it wasn’t a lack of experience — he was watching the ball.”
As a club icon who won three Coppa Italia, two UEFA Cups, one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one Supercoppa Italiana with Parma, Benarrivo explained why he never wanted to leave the city: “Staying was a life choice. All our victories came from the unity in the dressing room. We were a great team where everyone helped each other. Sure, we had disagreements sometimes, but we always reached a consensus. Coach Nevio Scala was an excellent facilitator — he could get 20 different personalities, ages, and beliefs to think in the same direction.”
Finally, the former full-back shared a fun anecdote about switching positions early in his Parma career: “When I arrived, I played on the left, which was always my position. But we had Alberto Di Chiara, a fantastic player. Scala paired us in training, and I thought, ‘This year I might only play a few Coppa Italia games and sit on the bench the rest of the time.’ On the other side, we had Stefano Nava on loan from AC Milan. So I thought, ‘I have to try the other side or I’ll be on the bench all year.’ I went to Scala and said, ‘Coach, in Brindisi and Padua, when needed, I also played on the right.’ It was a complete lie — I had never played on the right! But Scala let me try, and that’s how the Benarrivo-Di Chiara partnership was born.”