Former Arsenal coach loses Parma job despite victory

Former Arsenal coach Carlos Cuesta has left his role as Parma head coach, a week after securing their first Serie A victory of the season.

The Italian club announced the decision on Sunday 27 September, ending the Spaniard’s first spell in senior management.

Cuesta previously worked alongside Mikel Arteta before taking charge of Parma in 2025.

Carlos Cuesta Parma exit explained

In their official statement, Parma said discussions with Cuesta had established that the conditions required to continue the sporting project were no longer being met.

The club described the decision as a mutual agreement and thanked the coach and his staff for their work.

Parma also announced that their existing technical staff would lead Monday’s training session while the search for a replacement began.

Genoa win could not preserve Cuesta’s position

Reuters reported that Parma sat 15th when the decision was announced, despite beating Genoa 2-1 in their previous match.

That result had delivered their first league win of the campaign, but it did not secure Cuesta’s continuation in the role.

His departure adds another development to the careers of Arsenal-linked coaches in Italy, with Read Arsenal also examining the separate report concerning Cesc Fabregas’ Como contract.

For Cuesta, the Parma appointment represented the move from Arteta’s coaching staff into responsibility for his own first team. That chapter has now ended after little more than a year.