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Parma's players must now wash their own kit at the cash-strapped Serie A club

Alessandro Lucarelli of Parma in action during the Serie A match against Napoli at Stadio San Paolo
Image: Parma captain Alessandro Lucarelli will be washing his own kit from now on

Parma players are having to wash their own kit as the financial crisis deepens at the troubled Serie A club.

"It's today's news," said Parma captain Alessandro Lucarelli on Tuesday. "From tomorrow onwards, there will no more laundry service, we will take our kit home to wash.”

The ANSA news agency also said that dressing-room furniture, including a bench used by coach Roberto Donadoni, had been put up for auction after being impounded.

Parma are bottom of Serie A with 10 points, the players have not been paid all season and the club, which has changed hands twice in two months, are in danger of not finishing the season.

Their match at home to Udinese last Sunday was called off because the club could not afford to pay for stewards or the police.

Giampietro Manenti, the club's latest president, said next Sunday's match away to Genoa would go ahead and he was certain the club could provide transport for the players.

"The team won't have to pay anything," he told Radio Parma.

Lucarelli said the players would travel in their own cars if necessary.

"I don't think we have a problem as far as the bus is concerned, but we'll also have to see if the hotel comes through," he added.

Parma have never won the Serie A title but claimed two UEFA Cups, the 1993 European Cup Winners Cup and three Italian Cups in a very successful spell between 1992 and 2002.

They finished as Serie A runners-up in 1997 led by current Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.

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