Struggling Parma sack Cuper before final game

Relegation-threatened Parma sacked coach Hector Cuper yesterday ahead of next Sunday's final game of the season at home to his former club Inter.

The Serie A side said in a statement on their website ( www.fcparma.it ) that youth team coach Andrea Manzo was to take charge of Sunday's big match, where Inter can retain the title with a win and send third-from-bottom Parma down.

Argentine Cuper, who led Valencia to two Champions League finals in 2000 and 2001, only took over in March but Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Fiorentina was the latest in a string of poor displays.

Their 18 years in the top flight will come to an end on Sunday unless they can beat a stuttering Inter and Roma, fighting Roberto Mancini's men for the title, win at Catania.

Parma won the UEFA Cup in 1995 and 1999 but were hit by financial problems a few years ago and narrowly escaped relegation last season under Claudio Ranieri, now at Juventus.