The 1995-96 campaign was a season of transition and debut for Parma, as Il Crociati finished a respectable 6th in Serie A, securing a coveted spot in the UEFA Cup. This season marked the end of the legendary Nevio Scala era, and despite missing out on major silverware, the team reached the Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals. Leading the charge was the brilliant Gianfranco Zola, whose 10 league goals proved vital in the campaign. The unforgettable highlight, however, was the Serie A debut of the 17-year-old goalkeeping prodigy Gianluigi Buffon, who announced his arrival by keeping a heroic clean sheet against AC Milan's star-studded attack, ushering in a new, defining chapter for the club.. The 1996-97 campaign delivered a season of soaring ambition for Parma as Il Crociati finished a spectacular 2nd in Serie A, their best-ever league position, narrowly missing out on the Scudetto by just two points. Leading the charge was the clinical striker Enrico Chiesa, whose 14 league goals proved vital in a campaign built on the tactical guidance of young manager Carlo Ancelotti and the sensational emergence of future legends Lilian Thuram, Fabio Cannavaro, and the 18-year-old Gianluigi Buffon in goal. It was a standout year that marked the team's closest attempt yet to win the Italian title and remains a defining chapter in the club's 'miracles' era.