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Italy turn to Lippi again after getting rid of Donadoni

26/06/2008

World champions Italy have re-appointed Marcello Lippi as coach to replace Roberto Donadoni.

Lippi, who guided Italy to World Cup glory in 2006, will be unveiled on Tuesday.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced it will not renew Donadoni's contract as Italy head coach.

The former AC Milan midfielder's future in charge of the national team has been the subject of much speculation in recent days, with most pundits suggesting he would be axed before the end of the week.

And today's announcement by the FIGC confirmed the news that Donadoni's services would be dispensed with before the beginning of Italy's 2010 World Cup qualification campaign.

"President [Giancarlo] Abete today met with national coach Roberto Donadoni in the FIGC headquarters.

"In the course of the meeting, as already announced, they reviewed the work carried out in the last two years and how the European Championships had panned out.

"While confirming to Donadoni sincere personal admiration and appreciation for the reliability and skilled professional work which marked his time at the helm of the national side, President Abete also communicated to the coach the FIGC's decision not to renew the contract, which had run to its natural expiry date."

Donadoni recently signed a contract extension until the end of the 2010 World Cup shortly before the start of Euro 2008.

But it has been reported that this deal featured a release clause allowing the FIGC to terminate the contract prematurely this summer - a clause apparently activated by Italy's quarter-final exit at the hands of Spain last week.