UEFA honours
UEFA European Championship: runner-up 2012

• A native of Sardinia, he launched his career in Venice before moving to Sicily and joining US Città di Palermo.

• Before representing Palermo in Serie A he was sent out on loan, making 22 Serie C1 appearances for US Cremonese in 2007/08 and 15 in Serie B for AC Ancona the following season.

• Returned to Palermo for the 2009/10 campaign and, with ex-Italy keeper Walter Zenga as coach, established himself as the team's first choice between the posts as the Rosanero − later led by Delio Rossi − finished fifth in Serie A.

• Played in the UEFA Europa League in 2010/11 and ended the campaign with 37 Serie A appearances and a runners-up medal in the Coppa Italia.

• Left Palermo for Paris Saint-Germain FC as an Italian international, having made his debut against Ivory Coast in August 2010 and started the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying win in Estonia.

• An impressive debut season in France, helping PSG to second in Ligue 1, led to a UEFA EURO 2012 call-up; was an unused sub as Italy reached the final in Poland and Ukraine.