Marcello Lippi has returned for a second stint in charge of the Italian national team after being named as Roberto Donadoni's replacement by the Italian Football Federation on Thursday.
Lippi led the Azzurri to World Cup glory in 2006 but stood down after the tournament, paving the way for Donadoni to take up the reins.
Donadoni was dismissed earlier on Thursday, four days after Italy crashed out of Euro 2008 at the quarter-final stage following a penalty shoot-out defeat to Spain.
'Marcello Lippi returns as the leader of the Italian national team,' read a statement posted on the Italian Football Federation's official website, www.figc.it, just hours after Donadoni's departure have been confirmed.
'The president of the FIGC, Giancarlo Abete, named the new technical commissioner of the Azzurri as a replacement of Roberto Donadoni.
'Lippi will be presented on Tuesday July 1 at a press conference in Rome.'
Donadoni came under fire for his side's displays in Austria and Switzerland.
The world champions started with a 3-0 hammering by Holland. A shaky 1-1 draw against Romania followed with only a late Gianluigi Buffon penalty save from Adrian Mutu keeping their hopes alive.
They took advantage of that reprieve by beating France 2-0 in a winner-takes-all clash before going down to Spain in a shoot-out after a dire goalless draw.
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