Parma, 29 February 2024 - A conference on 'Skills in the European sports world.' With testimonials with people who are Gialloblu’s at heart. Organized by the European College Foundation of Parma, in collaboration with the University of Parma, the Parmense Industrial Union, and the Italian Association of Sports Lawyers, there was great emotion at Palazzo Soragna this afternoon, in a packed room, when the coach of Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti, who received an Honorary Degree in Parma last winter and is deeply connected to the Parmesan environment, connected via video from Madrid. Alongside him, but in person, intervened, coordinated by the Scientific Director of the European College of Parma Alfredo De Feo, the coach of Parma Calcio Fabio Pecchia, the Sports Director of Parma Calcio Mauro Pederzoli and Fabio Cannavaro, a Gialloblu legend and today a football coach. Before them, the proceedings were opened by Gabriele Buia (President of UPI), Paolo Martelli (Rector of the University of Parma), Cesare Azzali (President of the European College Foundation of Parma), and Michele Colucci (European Commission and member of the FIFA Football Tribunal).

From managing champions on the field to behind the scenes, working with agents, and with the families of footballers: the afternoon unfolded as an introspective journey into the world of football with great protagonists. Everything was discussed with a particular focus and emphasis on legal management and aspects that are sometimes not publicly valorized but are of great and fundamental importance, requiring high professionalism within the football system.

Carlo Ancelotti, at the opening of the workshop, emphasized the changes and cultural differences that are at the center of our world but also encouraged young people to engage in sports. Fabio Cannavaro also reflected on his career, his commitment to the Foundation he manages together with other footballers, and how 'achieving objectives requires sacrifice and knowing how to make concessions.'

The Gialloblu head coach, Fabio Pecchia, initially joked about his degree in Law, then revealed the path he took to obtain it. And how fundamental the relationship between study and sport is: 'It's an absolutely winning combination, two paths that can be taken together. In fact, they must go hand in hand, and I strongly advocate for this. This is my advice for young people: even in the most complicated moments of my Serie A career, in Soccavo, for example, I would retreat into studying. With my players, we try to create an environment of trust, an environment where they can feel safe and make progress. A lawyer? Even Boskov used to call me that, even before I got my degree...'

At the conclusion of the first part of the afternoon's work, it was up to the yellow and blue Sports Director Mauro Pederzoli to intervene on the management of a real community, to which the role of the manager must submit: 'Today it is important to adapt, to manage change, a changing world, and a football increasingly multicultural and more open to the world. These skills will become increasingly important in the world of football.'

In the second part of the afternoon, the interventions on stage were by Stefano Bastianon (Professor of European Union Law at the University of Bergamo) who addressed the theme of Sports Law and professional perspectives. Then it was Stefano Censi's turn to speak about sports bargaining on an international level. Finally, before lawyer Claudio Minghetti recounted the experience of managing sports champions, AIC President Umberto Calcagno intervened on athlete protection from an Italian, European, and international perspective.