Benjamin Cremaschi, the 20-year-old American midfielder on loan from Inter Miami, made his long-awaited Serie A debut for Parma on Oct. 29, coming on as a 76th-minute substitute in a 2-1 defeat to AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. He replaced Adrián Bernabé as part of a triple change by coach Fabio Pecchia with Parma trailing 1-0.

AFPTwo months in the making

Cremaschi’s debut came nearly two months after his loan move from Inter Miami was announced on Sept. 2. The midfielder joined the Italian club on a deal through June 2026, with Parma holding an option to make the transfer permanent.

Prior to this appearance, Cremaschi had been named to Parma's matchday squad twice but remained unused as he adapted to Italian football. His introduction against Roma marked a significant milestone in his European career after accumulating 107 appearances for Inter Miami across all competitions.

AdvertisementAFPParma's struggles

Cremaschi entered a difficult match situation, with Roma leading 1-0 when he stepped onto the Stadio Olimpico pitch. The hosts would double their advantage through Artem Dovbyk in the 80th minute before Parma pulled one back through Alessandro Circati five minutes later.

Despite the late push, Parma couldn't find an equalizer in the 2-1 defeat. The result continues a challenging start to the season for Parma, who sit in the bottom half of the Serie A table at 15th after a difficult opening to their campaign. 

GettyLoan move follows time at Inter Miami

Cremaschi's loan to Parma came after he publicly expressed frustration about his situation at Inter Miami under coach Javier Mascherano. In August, the midfielder voiced concerns about inconsistent playing time and being deployed in various positions rather than in his preferred role.

"I'm frustrated, I want to play. I think the most important thing for me is to be at a very high level, and to get there, I need minutes and experience," Cremaschi said. "I've played very little in these recent games, and I don't think it's because of my level."

Serie A opportunity represents new challenge

Cremaschi will now look to build on his debut with more minutes in future Parma matches. The team faces Bologna this weekend on Nov. 2.