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Fabio Capello has quit as coach of Italian champions Juventus. He tendered his resignation and the board accepted it. It seems now that Real Madrid’s desperate and unsuccessful chase for Arsene Wenger’s signature has been pleasantly diverted to Mr. Capello, who wouldn’t be averse to a return to the Santiago Bernebeau.

This news arrives on the same day that the chief prosecutor in the Italian Matchfixing trial asked for relegation for all clubs involved (Juventus, Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina): Juve to be relegated to Serie C while the remaining three to the second division.

This has come as a massive shock, as most people earlier had predicted a much softer verdict for Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio. That is not the case, and if the prosecution team have the evidence that backs up their aggressive approach, Juventus and Co. could be heading for the depths of Italian football.

The likelihood of such an outcome is confirmed by Capello’s departure, and also reinforced by statements from Juventus players, especially Pavel Nedved. Nedved’s already spoken about his discussions with Gianluigi Buffon, and with the shot-stopper’s agent having already made contact with Arsenal, the world’s best keeper could well be keeping goal in North London next season. Emerson, Ibrahimovic and Cannavaro could be other high profile exits. However, these rumours have been circulating for quite a while.

The new bombshell, that Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio face the same fate as Juventus, will prompt more speculation no doubt. I doubt that world class talents like Kaka, Luca Toni and Gilardino are ready to play in the lower divisions and the transfer market will now wait for the verdict of this trial before any further movements are made. There will worldclass defenders, keepers, midfielders and strikers on offer if the prosecution has its way.

This is a shambolic time for Italian football, and no doubt many players in the Italian camp will be distracted and worried about their future before tonight’s critical semifinal clash with hosts Germany in the World Cup.

[tags]Real Madrid, Juventus, Fabio Capello[/tags]