Giovanni Fabbian’s season at Parma is being shaped by a new club, a new coach and the steady ambition of a player who has never treated football as his only possible future. The midfielder has settled into life in Emilia with the sense that the move represents an opportunity, while keeping one eye on a degree in Economics and another on the standards that carried him through Inter’s academy.
A family story carried onto the pitch
- Fabbian grew up in a family where football was always present. His father, a plumber, played the game and still does, while his grandfather had once come close to a professional career.
- In the 1950s, Nereo Rocco visited Fabbian’s grandfather in an attempt to bring the libero to Padova. The move never happened because his father needed him to remain at home and work the land.
- The grandson sees his own career as a continuation of that unfinished family ambition. His grandfather took him to his earliest training sessions, and Fabbian says their relationship remains particularly close.
- He started playing at the age of four. His mother eventually enrolled him in a football school after balls kicked around the house had sent some vases flying.
- As a child, he admired Stephan El Shaarawy, even copying the forward’s distinctive hairstyle. When the chance arrived, Fabbian asked him for his shirt.
There is another football connection in his current surroundings. Fabbian and Dino Baggio come from the same town, and the Parma midfielder described the former Italy international as an inspiration. His father had reminded him of Baggio’s important spell at Parma, and a visit to the club museum, where Baggio features prominently, helped him grasp the scale of that career.
From Inter’s academy to Parma
Inter remain an important part of Fabbian’s development. He described the Nerazzurri as the club that backed him and brought him through, adding that he will always retain respect and gratitude for the work done there.
His pathway at Inter was closely linked to Cristian Chivu, who coached him for much of his youth-team period. Together they won the Primavera title, and Fabbian said Chivu consistently showed faith in him.
Fabbian believes Chivu’s current coaching work should come as no surprise. In his view, Chivu combines strong coaching ability with considerable personal humility, despite a playing career filled with trophies and spells at major clubs. The former Inter defender would also share stories from the Treble-winning campaign with young players, accounts which Fabbian said made an impression on an academy group still dreaming of reaching that level.
Parma, meanwhile, has offered a different stage in his career. Fabbian feels he has adapted well to both the city and the club, describing Parma as well organised and a place where the squad can build something positive. He said he is pleased with his decision to join.
Working under Gilardino
The squad has also had to respond to a change in the dugout. Fabbian’s view is straightforward: the club makes its decisions, while players must meet their professional responsibility by continuing to work.
He said Alberto Gilardino has already provided significant help through his experience. The group, he added, is motivated to follow the new coach and deliver what he asks for on the field.
For Fabbian personally, this is a settled phase rather than a finished one. He feels he is moving along the right path, understands the level he wants to reach and says he is calmer now because he knows his own capabilities. Determination remains central to the next part of that journey.
Studies alongside the season
Off the pitch, Fabbian describes himself as a quiet person. After training, his routine is generally simple: shopping, time at home and study.
He is enrolled in an Economics degree and is close to completing it, with only a couple of examinations remaining before graduation. He does not intend to rush the process, preferring to continue whenever the football calendar allows.
Fabbian sees the degree as preparation for life beyond a short playing career. He is considering a future connected to economics within football and is thinking along similar lines for his thesis.
The Italy national team remains an ambition, but he places Parma first. In his assessment, international recognition can only follow if he performs well enough for his club and contributes to its targets.
His first venture into fantasy football this season has added a lighter note to the campaign. He did not select himself in the game, although teammate Enrico Delprato did. Fabbian said he did take part in the auction process for some of his Parma colleagues.
