Former Parma striker Hernan Crespo has revealed that the Ducale club is so cash-strapped that his youth team players have had to take cold showers.
Crespo, speaking after the cancellation of Parma's Seria A home clash with Udinese on Sunday due to a lack of finance, fears the worst for his old team.
"The situation hurts," Parma youth-team coach Crespo told his club's website. "We are in shambles. It's difficult to see this club in this state. If the first team is struggling, you can imagine our situation.
"We don't even have water for training. We are having to take showers with cold water and many times my players have gotten ill."
Unlike the first team, Parma's youth side did compete on Saturday and beat Carpi FC 1-0 at home.
"We played thanks to a favour from our gardeners,'' Crespo said. "But we don't know if we will have the money to play our next game at Sampdoria.
"We really risk throwing away all the work done over the years. It's difficult to see this club in this state.
"We will work for these colours until the end, it will have to be the institutions to tell us to stop. But I can't understand how it was possible to register this team [to Serie A] that may not be even able to finish the season."
A former Argentina international, Crespo played six seasons at Parma and was a key member of the Gialloblu side that won the Coppa Italia, the UEFA Cup and lifted the Italian Supercup in the 1998-99 campaign.
The 39-year-old, who also won a Premier League title with Chelsea, took over Parma's youth team last summer.
Federico Pizzarotti, mayor of the city of Parma, has also added to the sense of gloom enveloping the club.
"The first issue is for the club to try to make it until the end of the season," Pizzarotti told the Italian media. "This is a problem that obviously interests a lot the Italian football league, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and hence, it will be necessary to arrive to a common solution.
"After June, if no resources arrive, the scenario of bankruptcy will be considered."
Parma have not paid wages to players or staff since the summer and new owner Giampietro Manenti has failed to make the minimum payments against debts which were due on February 16.
The Ducale club, coached by former Italy tactician Roberto Donadoni, have won just three games all season.
The Gialloblu sit at the foot of the table, 13 points adrift of safety following last weekend's goalless draw at Roma.