Daniele Galloppa admits sitting fifth in Serie A was beyond Parma's wildest expectations at the start of the season.

Parma travel tomorrow to face fellow European contenders Genoa, who lie just one point behind them.

They only won promotion back to the top flight last term but, following a pre-season campaign to forget, find themselves now in a Europa League qualifying spot and level on points with fourth-placed Sampdoria.

Asked if he expected the team to be so high in the table, midfielder Galloppa told www.fcparma.com: "No, not even if we had had a pre-season like Inter Milan.

"But we always have confidence in ourselves. Everything was in place for a good campaign.

"I was confident even when things were not going well, but I believe that it was our bad pre-season that gave us that extra push."

An 86th-minute penalty from Nicola Amoruso earned Parma a 1-1 draw with Napoli last time out - only the second time they have failed to win a home league match this term.

That followed an impressive 3-2 win away to Champions League participants Fiorentina, but Galloppa feels it will be tough for the team to continue that form.

"It is not easy to keep on playing like that," the midfielder said.

"You have to wait two or three months and see what stuff we are made of, what goals we aspire to.

"For now, as we keep on saying, we must think about getting to 40 points as soon as possible."

Next up for Parma is a trip to a Genoa side on a high following their 3-0 win over city rivals Sampdoria last weekend.

A goalless draw away to Sparta Prague in midweek kept them in with a shout of making the Europa League knockout stage, and Galloppa expects a tough game.

"Among their strengths is physical aggression. The derby against Samp is proof of that," he said.

For veteran Parma defender Christian Panucci the match is a chance to return to the club where he started his career almost 20 years ago.

The former Roma man admits the game will be a "special" occasion for him, but has no plans to take it easy against his old club.

"Genoa are one of the teams in my heart," he said. "My family and friends will be there, it will be like a homecoming.

"It will be a special Sunday.

"(But) we will try to be stronger than them. There's respect but not fear. We know that if we can keep the tempo high it will be tough for them too. We will see what the outcome is."

Parma will will be without Stefano Russo, Andrea Pisanu, Alessio Manzoni and McDonald Mariga through injury, while Valeri Bojinov is a doubt.

Genoa will be missing suspended defenders Giuseppe Biava and Sokratis Papastathopoulos.