CHARLTON will decide this week whether their mercurial striker Paolo Di Canio stays at The Valley or returns to his old club Lazio.

Di Canio has become unsettled by Lazio’s persistent overtures and returned to Italy last week for what manager Alan Curbishley described as personal problems.

His 75-year-old father is unwell and the player’s wife and children have remained in Italy since the end of last season. Di Canio left Lazio in 1999.

Curbishley said: “We will decide if Paolo leaves. The timing is awful and we could have done without it at this stage.

“He is caught between two stools. If he stays in Italy, he stays in Italy and I’ll thank him for what he did for us last season. But I want to emphasise that Paolo cannot sign for Lazio because he is registered with us.”

Charlton came from behind to beat Serie A side Chievo Verona 3-1 in Friday’s centenary match at The Valley.

Dennis Rommedahl, Addicks’ new £2m winger, had a hand in the equaliser by delivering the 13th-minute corner which Shaun Bartlett headed home.

Poor defending had presented Chievo with a 10th-minute lead, the goal score by Federico Cossato.

Substitue Bryan Hughes gave Charlton a 79th-minute lead from the penalty spot and Jonatan Johnansson touched in the third three minutes from time after Talal Karkouri had headed on Paul Konchesky’s free kick.