Gervinho forgiven and could start against Sassuolo - Parma coach D’Aversa

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The Ivorian forward has returned to first-team training after he was punished for trying to force a move to Qatar in January

Parma manager Roberto D’Aversa has revealed Gervinho could return to the starting XI against Sassuolo on Sunday after apologising to his teammates.

Gervinho was close to forcing a move to Qatar Stars League outfit Al Sadd on transfer deadline day but the move fell through in the last minute.

The former Arsenal attacker was consequently punished by the Serie A club for his actions and has not played for the team since January 13.

Ahead of Sunday's league visit to Sassuolo, D’Aversa said the 32-year-old, scorer of four goals in 17 league games, has been forgiven and he is in his plans for the encounter.

"Gervinho? I believe that when you make a decision you have to reset and start again," the manager told the club website.

"After everything that happened, he went into training with the team and the only thing I have to do is evaluate whether he is in a position to start or not from the beginning of the game without being influenced by what happened.

"As I said to the boys regardless of whether I am the coach, I share the locker room as if they were my children, so where someone can make mistakes I can feel bad beyond the fact that I am the coach and they are the players.

"All that has happened is past water, the only thing to do now is to evaluate it for what it does on the pitch, while he, in addition to having done what he had to do - and I can guarantee you that he has taken an important step in speaking with the team - must go back to doing what he has done so far, that is trying to help us to win the games."

2020-02-15 23:00:03

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