As is the cruel cycle of professional football, three teams must go down each season.
With that comes the obvious slash in money gained from TV revenue, sponsorship deals being ended abruptly, and players moving on to other clubs for the sake of their careers (or because they cannot handle the subsequent pay-cuts).
Parma, Cesena and Cagliari were the three that suffered the doom and heartbreak of relegation from Serie A in 2014-15.
Parma, unable to pay its players due to a €200 million debt that has accumulated over the years, has already lost many players throughout the course of the season and therefore has very little to offer Italy’s top flight.
Cesena, on the other hand, utilised the loan market to reasonably good effect this season, bringing in the likes of Nicola Leali from Juventus and Carlos Carbonero from Roma. However this was not enough to save the Cavallucci Marini from the drop.
Lastly, Cagliari, who was arguably one of Serie A’s underachievers in 2014-15, does have players on its books who are capable of plying their trade in Serie A or elsewhere in 2015-16.
Jose Mauri (Parma)
The Argentine-born Italian has been one of the few shining lights in what has been a disastrous season for the Gialloblu. Moved from a wing-back role to central-midfield by manager Roberto Donadoni, Mauri has flourished this season and is unsurprisingly attracting interest from Atletico Madrid, the Manchester giants and AC Milan, to name a few.
At only 19 years of age, Mauri has a tremendous amount of potential still to fulfil and it appears that this will occur away from Serie A’s bottom club of 2014-15.
Gregoire Defrel (Cesena)
The 23-year-old Frenchman has been one of Serie A’s best emerging prospects this season. Despite Cesena enduring a woeful campaign that saw it only pick up four wins all season in the league, the attacking-midfielder is one of only a few from his side to come out with an enhanced reputation.
In the league, Defrel created 38 chances, racked up five assists and scored nine goals. This fierce strike against Lazio was one of his best.
Luka Krajnc (Cesena)
At only 20 years of age, the Slovenian will have a long line of suitors upon his side’s relegation to Serie B. Making his professional debut at the age of 16 for Slovenian giant Maribor, the centre-back boasts pace, strength, a good passing ability as well as an intelligent mind for the game.
Despite rarely featuring for the Cavallucci Marini in the first half of the season, Krajnc was a key member for his side in the second half of the campaign, where he showed his credentials and capabilities.
Albin Ekdal (Cagliari)
The Swede was an ever-present for the Sardinians in 2014-15, making 33 league appearances. The all-action central-midfielder completed an impressive 1246 passes in Serie A this season with a pass accuracy of 81%, of which 80% were forward passes, showing just how creative and ambitious Ekdal is.
A hat-trick against Inter Milan in a 4-1 win showcases Ekdal’s attacking qualities, and the 25-year-old Tottenham target is likely to leave Sardinia in the coming transfer window due to many other admirable showings in 2014-15.
Diego Farias (Cagliari)
25-year-old Farias was arguably the Rossoblu’s best player in a dour campaign for the club. The winger has been a rare consistent performer all throughout 2014-15 for Cagliari and has scored six whilst assisting three in the league.
The Brazilian’s performances over the course of the campaign may facilitate a move to another top flight club.
Joao Pedro (Cagliari)
Graduating from the esteemed academy of Atletico Mineiro, the 23-year-old has represented clubs in Italy, Brazil, Portugal and Uruguay. Whilst the Brazilian has not been a consistent performer for the Sardinians, he showcased his talent in glimpses throughout the course of the campaign.
Still young at 23 and with undoubted talent, the attacking-midfielder is likely to find a new home in 2015-16.
Godfred Donsah (Cagliari)
The Ghanaian had a breakthrough season in 2014-15, impressing in his 21 league appearances for the club. A box-to-box midfielder, the teenager can also operate effectively at right-back. With a great mind for the game, Donsah consistently makes good decisions on the pitch, showing maturity belying the age of 19.
Still a teenager, it is no surprise that Donsah is being heavily tracked by many of Europe’s big guns, with Liverpool registering interest as of late.
[interaction id=”55779c1284caec334b747c1a”]
What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.
