Roma defender Christian Panucci is expected to extend his current deal , which expires in 2009, once he returns from the European Championships.

Panucci’s agent, Oscar Damiani confirmed that his client is set to remain with the Giallorossi longer than 2009 as the two parties will meet in July to discuss the contract extension.
Damiani does not believe that there should be a lot of problems for this to happen and he is very optimistic about the outcome.
“We shall renew Panucci’s contract once the European Championships are over,” revealed the player’s agent.
“There is no hurry at all, as the desire of both parties is that of continuing this rapport,” he added.
“Christian is very fine in Rome and he has no intention of leaving the Capital city because he believes in the project of the Giallorossi.
“Also, here he rediscovered the national team and an important competition like the European Championships,” concluded Damiani.

Italy defender Christian Panucci is waiting on test results after suffering an injury to his right knee early in training today.

Defensive concerns
The 35-year-old AS Roma right-back received treatment on the sidelines from Azzurri doctors before walking gingerly back to the dressing room. An Italian Football Federation statement said: "During training Panucci felt pain in his right knee and stopped training as a precaution." Panucci, who scored the goal against Scotland in November that earned the world champions a place at UEFA EURO 2008, was a contender to start Italy’s opening fixture against the Netherlands in Berne on Monday. Fellow defender Fabio Cannavaro was ruled out of the tournament on Monday after tearing ankle ligaments during the team’s first training session in Austria.

Christian Panucci (born 12 April 1973 in Savona) is an Italian football (soccer) player who currently plays for AS Roma of Italian Serie A. Panucci is a defender who usually plays on the right-hand side, but he can also play on the left or in the centre of defence.

Club career

Panucci started playing with Genoa in 1992, and then moved to AC Milan. Panucci later moved to Real Madrid (becoming the first Italian to play for the Spanish club), Inter, Chelsea, AS Monaco before moving to Roma in 2001. He won the Champions League with both Milan and Real. In those two stops, as well as Roma, he has been coached by Fabio Capello.

International career

Panucci made his debut in September 1994 (against Slovenia in a Euro 96 qualifier. However, he missed out on the final squad following a dispute with Italian national coach Arrigo Sacchi and was not a regular in the Italian national team until the 2002 World Cup. He has 48 caps and two goals, as of the end of 2004. He played for his country at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004. In the 2002 World Cup, Panucci was widely blamed for failing to clear a pass that led to the equalising goal by Seol Ki-Hyun in the dying minutes of the round of 16 match.

Panucci had not played for Italy for over three years after Euro 2004 in Portugal, having been ignored by Marcello Lippi with whom he had fallen out with in his days at Inter, for the period of the 2006 World Cup. However, the 34 year old was given a second chance by the current Italy Coach and friend Roberto Donadoni, who called him up for the European Championship qualifiers against Georgia, Scotland and the Faroe Islands.

Panucci then expressed his delight at earning his 50th Italy cap in the stadium where he began his career for the Azzurri in the 2-0 win over Georgia in their Euro 2008 qualifying tie in Genoa. Panucci came through the port club’s youth ranks before joining AC Milan in 1993.

"It was really emotional for me to play in an arena where I grew up. It may have seemed a little scripted but I’ll never forget the standing ovation I received."

Panucci has currently 53 caps for the Azzurri. He managed to score his first international goal for the Azzuri since April 2002, when he headed a crucial injury-time winning goal against Scotland on 17 November 2007 in their Euro 2008 qualifying Group B match. Italy then managed to clinch their place at the European Championship finals, which will be held in Austria and Switzerland in July 2008.

Personal life

In 1996, Panucci narrowly avoided death due to a change of flight plans. He was part of the Italy squad at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, but had to leave the team due to injury. Panucci was scheduled to leave the United States on TWA Flight 800 that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. But a last-minute change of flight plans saved his life.

Panucci was married to a Spanish woman and their child was born in March 2001. However, they have divorced and he is currently dating Rosaria Cannavò.

Honours

AC Milan

• Serie A:
  • 1993-94, 1995-96
• Supercoppa Italiana
  • 1993, 1994
• UEFA Champions League
  • 1993-94
• UEFA Super Cup’
• 1994

Real Madrid

• UEFA Champions League
  • 1997-1998
• Intercontinental Cup
• 1998

A.S. Roma

• Coppa Italia
  • 2006-07
• Supercoppa Italiana
  • 2001, 2007