Parma part ways with Carlos Cuesta after just five Serie A games
Parma have confirmed Cuesta’s immediate exit after an emergency meeting, ending his spell as head coach just months into the new Serie A campaign.
Key takeaways
- Cuesta leaves with Parma on four points after five league games and already out of the Coppa Italia.
- The departure makes him the second Serie A coach to leave this season, following Fabio Grosso’s September dismissal at Fiorentina.
- Parma said both sides agreed their working relationship could not continue.
- The former Arsenal assistant managed 48 matches, recording 15 wins, 13 draws and 20 defeats.
- He is now available after reportedly turning down overseas approaches during the summer.
Breakdown over Parma project ends Cuesta tenure
Cuesta’s departure was settled after talks between the coach and club officials, with disagreements over Parma’s direction understood to have become too significant to resolve. Differences surrounding the transfer-window plan were central to the split.
In its announcement, Parma said that discussions held in recent hours had led the parties to conclude that the basis for continuing their professional arrangement was no longer in place. The separation takes effect immediately.
The club’s difficult opening added pressure to the situation. Parma had taken only four points from their first five Serie A fixtures and were knocked out of the Coppa Italia at an early stage. Cuesta’s final result in charge was a win over Genoa.
What happens next for the former Arsenal coach
Cuesta arrived in Italy after five seasons on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal staff, where he worked as an assistant from August 2020 until June 2025. His Parma record across all competitions finishes at 48 games.
Last season, he led Parma to 12th in Serie A and became the second-youngest manager in Italian top-flight history. Despite the abrupt end to this job, the young coach retains a strong reputation around Europe.
He had chosen to remain in Italy despite receiving interest from clubs abroad over the summer. Now without a club, Cuesta is expected to consider the next opportunity in his managerial career.
