FIORENTINA, WHO took Serie A by storm early in the season but have slipped to third place behind Lazio, entertain second-placed Parma live on Channel 4 tomorrow in a game both sides need to win to keep their scudetto hopes alive.

MANCHESTER UNITED have found the man they want to succeed Peter Schmeichel in the 21-year-old Italian Gianluigi Buffon, according to the People, who say United have offered pounds 4m for the Parma goalkeeper. But the report suggests that Milan are also in the hunt and Parma may hold out for pounds 5.5m. The same paper reckons former United target Mark Bosnich has put off Roma by asking for pounds 60,000 a week.

INTERNAZIONALE LOST 2-0 at home to Parma in an Italian Cup semi- final first-leg match last night, ending the tie with eight men after three players were sent off for dissent in the space of two minutes.

Parma 3 Rangers 1 Parma win 4-2 on aggregate

Parma 3 Rangers 1: Parma win 4-2 on aggregate

IAN FERGUSON has been given the daunting task of man-marking the Argentinian, Juan Veron, as Rangers

Rangers 1 Van Bronckhorst 16 Dunfermline Athletic 1 Petrie 76 Attendance: 47,465

THE COURT of Appeal struck a blow yesterday for the democratisation of high-class food when it ruled that Asda could sell cut-price Parma ham sliced and packaged in this country.

Italian preview

LORENZO AMORUSO is optimistic that Rangers can book a place in the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup for next spring.

Rangers 1 Parma 1

WISLA KRAKOW yesterday admitted that Parma's Dino Baggio was struck by a metal object thrown from the crowd during their Uefa Cup draw on Tuesday, but have denied the Italian was injured by a knife.

ITALIAN FOOTBALL

Think you know all about pizza? Well, think again. What you're being fobbed off with is utterly alien to the real thing - crisp, expertly baked and topped with the finest fresh ingredients