Albania have officially appointed former Italy defender Christian Panucci as her new Coach

Albania has hired former Italy defender Christian Panucci as its national team coach, replacing Gianni de Biasi. The rumors that have been heard since several days, today have been finally confirmed. Christian Panucci will be the new coach of the Albanian National Team. Panucci in Tirana have sign contract as the new coach of red and black team. His appointment is officially announced this Wednesday at a joint press conference with Armando Dùka, chair of the Albanian Football Federation (AFF) However, details about the 44-year-old’s contract have yet to be disclosed. Albanian soccer federation president Armand Duka says the 44-year-old Panucci was hired to lead the team through the 2020 European Championship. Panucci, who played for AC Milan, Inter Milan, Roma and Real Madrid, says his "only goal is to take Albania to the Euro 2020 finals." Panucci played over 500 times for the likes of Milan, Real Madrid, Inter and Roma, primarily as a right-back and centre-half, while picking up 57 caps for Italy. He went into punditry for Sky Sport Italia after his retirement in 2010, before spending a month as Palermo team manager and two years assisting italian coach Fabio Capello with Russia's national team. He has also coached Italian clubs of Livorno and Ternana. However, he was sacked in all three of his subsequent coaching stints with Serie B sides Livorno (twice) and Ternana. Panucci arrived in Mother Teresa International Airport arown midnight and then escorted to Tirana by AFF officials. The 44-year-old coach traveled from Miami to Rome and then to Tirana to attend the contract signatùre ceremony. For moment Rome's former defender he was not part of any team. Meantime the names of Camolese and Signorelli are being rumored for the position oftechnical coach. Panucci succeeds another Italian in Gianni De Biasi,who resigned last month. He guided the Shqiponjat to Euro 2016 last summer – their first-ever major tournament. Before that De Biasi confirmed the offers he had refused for Albania. “I am leaving Albania’s without having another team. I resisted to many offers”, de Biasi says as he resigned from the post of coach of the red and black team. Despite emotions, it seems that this decision is related to the market season which starts soon. De Biasi’s mission with Albania’s national team seemed accomplished, and he requested to be free for the next possible offers. The new Italian coach Christian Panucci has his main objective will be to enable Albania's qualification in the Euro 2020 finals. Albania are currently third in their 2018 World Cup qualifying group, seven points behind second-placed Italy with only four games remaining.