Random Parma Video 7: Cigarini “The Professor”

By: Francesco | January 17th, 2008

The first time I saw Luca Cigarini play, I knew he would become something special. I just had one of those feelings. The way he commanded the midfield, and how every team mate gave the ball to him to start up the play just showed me how good he was. That’s why when he does become a world class star I’ll be bragging to everyone that I discovered him. But that’s also why Cigarini is wanted by all the big clubs today and is mainstay in the Parma and Italy U21 midfield.

Cigarini was born in Montecchio Emilia, a town near Parma. At the age of 17 in 2003, Parma snapped him up and added him to their youth sector. That year he won the Allievi championship with Parma, and was on the same team as fellow starlets Giuseppe Rossi, Arturo Lupoli, and Daniele Dessena.

It was there that the Parma coach at the time, Cesare Prandelli, took notice of the young midfielder and nicknamed him, “The Professor”, for his intelligent play on the field. And whenever the first team was getting ready for a little practice match and were missing a player, Prandelli would call out to the youth coach and say, “Give me the Professor!”, and Cigarini would jog over and play with the first team.

The following year he was loaned out to Sambenedettese in Serie C1. He notched up 34 appearances and 4 goals, not bad for an 18 year old. After the impressive display in Serie C1 Parma brought him back and although he was still on the youth team he made appearances with the first team in Serie A. It was a slow process getting Cigarini to become a first team regular, but it worked.

At the beginning of last season, he was a part of Casiraghi’s new U21 side, and played the Regista role in midfield (deep playmaker ala Pirlo). In the beginning of the season Parma coach Stefano Pioli didn’t give him much time, but once Claudio Ranieri showed up he noticed the talent young Cigarini had, and gave him a starting role, where he flourished.

This season he has become a rock in the Parma midfield alongside Stefano Morrone and it looks like everyone will make a bid for him in June. However the strongest interest seems to be coming from Juventus, coached by none other than Claudio Ranieri, who is trying to convince the management that Cigarini will be for Juventus what Pirlo is for Milan now. Not a bad comparison at all.

There aren’t many videos on Ciga (his nickname from his teammates), but this is the best one, and it’s not very long. However it shows you all the great passing ability and vision this kid has.