Parma completed a late comeback from 3-1 down to draw 3-3, there were two red cards, six goals and Fabio Quagliarella took his Serie A tally to 25.
To commemorate the decades-long union between the fanbases of these two clubs, they decided to wear special half-and-half jerseys that combined the elements of both teams to create a new BluCrociati design.
Parma completed a late comeback from 3-1 down to draw 3-3, there were two red cards, six goals and Fabio Quagliarella took his Serie A tally to 25.
To commemorate the decades-long union between the fanbases of these two clubs, they decided to wear special half-and-half jerseys that combined the elements of both teams to create a new BluCrociati design.
The Ducali weren’t quite mathematically safe from relegation yet and had a continuing injury crisis ruling out Nicolas Schiappacasse, Roberto Gagliolo, Jonathan Biabiany, Alberto Grassi and Roberto Inglese. Samp had Joachim Andersen injured, but Gaston Ramirez, Jacopo Sala and Lorenzo Tonelli all suspended.
It took all of 70 seconds to break through, as Gervinho dribbled to the by-line, just about kept it in play and pulled back for Marcello Gazzola’s tap-in.
However, Federico Dimarco blatantly flicked on a cross with his elbow, the arm very much outstretched and the decision inevitable on VAR. Fabio Quagliarella converted powerfully through the middle to beat Luigi Sepe and equalise, taking his Serie A tally to 24 goals for the season.
Samp turned it around completely, as Jakub Jankto went on a mazy run down the left and forced a save at the near post, but it was only pushed into the path of Gregoire Defrel for a tap-in.
Quagliarella almost added a third on the stroke of half-time, but Sepe made a fantastic reaction save from point-blank range as he came sliding in to meet the Defrel assist.
Gervinho forced an Emil Audero save straight after the restart, then the goalkeeper had to rush off his line to deny Fabio Ceravolo one-on-one.
However, Parma were made to pay when Juraj Kucka practically tripped on the ball in his own final third, allowing Dennis Praet to thread through for Quagliarella’s second of the game, his 25th Serie A goal of the season.
Kucka made up for it, because he converted a powerful penalty into the roof of the net after Omar Colley clumsily brought down substitute Luca Siligardi.
Just three minutes later, Parma had gone from 3-1 down to 3-3, as Audero palmed the Iacoponi header away on a corner, but could do nothing on Alessandro Bastoni’s follow-up.
Omar Colley received his second yellow card for jumping with elbow on to the face of Bruno Alves and reduced Samp to 10 men.
Parma followed suit moments later with Kucka completing an overly-irritable performance by lashing out at Albin Ekdal.
Parma 3-3 Sampdoria
Gazzola 2 (P), Quagliarella pen 28, 61 (S), Defrel 38 (S), Kucka pen 67 (P), Bastoni 71 (P)
Parma: Sepe; Gazzola, Iacoponi, Bruno Alves, Bastoni, Dimarco; Kucka, Scozzarella (Stulac 87), Barillà (Sprocati 46); Ceravolo (Siligardi 65), Gervinho
Sampdoria: Audero; Bereszynski, Ferrari, Colley, Murru; Praet, Ekdal, Jankto; Defrel (Caprari 78); Gabbiadini (Barreto 57), Quagliarella
Sent off: Colley 87 (S), Kucka 91 (P)