Nedved will stay at Juventus next season

Czech winger Pavel Nedved has signed a new one-year contract with Juventus after deciding not to retire, the Serie A side said on Tuesday.

The Turin club have finished third in their first season back in the top flight following their demotion for match-fixing in 2006. They will enter the Champions League qualifiers next season, prompting the 35-year-old left winger to stay.

“At the heart of my decision is the knowledge of having lived seven extraordinary years here and the wish to relive the European experience with a team I am deeply attached to,” Nedved told Juve’s website (www.juventus.com).

Nedved, who almost quit at the end of last season before signing a similar one-year deal, is expected to make a decision shortly on whether he will come out of international retirement and make himself available for the Czechs at Euro 2008.

Juve coach Claudio Ranieri believes the former European footballer of year will take part in June’s tournament in Austria and Switzerland.

“He is a physically fit player, he has desire, he enjoys himself,” Ranieri told Reuters.

“I hope…the requests of his team mates in the national squad will make him come back to play this final European championship.”