2026–2027 Preseason Friendlies: Parma vs. Iraklis, Probable Lineups

The Campo Pineta at the Pinzolo Sports Center, in the upper Val Rendena, will host the preseason friendly between Carlos Cuesta’s Parma and Iraklis, a Greek club that was recently promoted to the Super League and, starting this summer, is now coached by Walter Mazzarri. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.; both teams are looking for their first win of the summer.

To be honest, Parma did manage to put a smile on their faces—albeit only after a penalty shootout in the second 45-minute match of last Sunday’s three-way tournament with Trento and Sassuolo: after a 1-1 draw with the Trentino side and a 5-4 loss in the penalty shootout, they played to a 0-0 draw against the Neroverdi, defeating them 2-1 in the penalty shootout. In their first 90-minute friendly, they drew again—this time without a penalty shootout to decide the winner—against Arezzo: the final score was 1-1, with Kouda’s opening goal for the Gialloblù equalized by Sala.

Iraklis, on the other hand, began their preseason with a 2-0 loss to Bologna last Sunday, with goals from Dallinga and Rowe—the latter from the penalty spot. On Thursday, however, they drew 1-1 against Palermo, with Le Douaron giving the Rosanero the lead in the 13th minute and Nizet equalizing for the Greeks in the 60th minute.Interestingly, Iraklis’s next friendly match, following the one against Parma, will also be against an Italian team: “Semidio,” as the club is nicknamed at home, will face Cremonese on Thursday, August 6.

Probable Lineups

PARMA (4-3-3): Corvi; Delprato, Ndiaye, Valenti, Carboni; Keita, Ordoñez, Kouda; Almqvist, Pellegrino, Elphege. Head Coach: Cuesta.

IRAKLIS (3-5-2): Tsintotas; Vouros, Roche, Inigo; Nizet, Soria, Sourlis, Kranz, D’Ausilio; Kaiboue, Koushta. Coach: Mazzarri.