LIVE STREAM: Italy – Parma Panthers v. Milano Seamen (3p CEST, 9a EDT)

AFI | American Football | 05/14/2017

The Milano Seamen will welcome the Parma Panthers to Stade Breda di Sesto San Giovanni in Milan Sunday May 14 in a key battle for home field advantage in the playoffs in Italy.

Both Milano and the Panthers have 5-1 records and sit in second and third spots respectively in the standings in Italy. The Seamen have scored 228 points while allowing 68 in six games and Parma is right behind at 177 and 81.

These two teams met three straight years in the Italian championship game from 2013 to 2015. Milano won the last two of the three. The only loss either team has suffered this season has been to the first place Milano Rhinos. Parma dropped a 23-15 decision to the Rhinos while the Seamen lost 26-10.

In other words, there is not much separating the two.

The Seamen are coming off a devastating loss to the Frankfurt Universe last weekend in the Big6, while Parma has not played a game since April 23 when they beat the Lazio Marines 41-30.

Both starting quarterbacks, Luke Zahradka for the Seamen and Parma’s Tommasso Monardi, are among the top five passers in the league. And both are national team quarterbacks for Team Italy. Milano wide receiver Reece Horn is one of the top five receivers in Italy while Parma running back Alessandro Malpeli Avalli is among the leaders in rushing for the year.