Real insist Capello is staying put

Real Madrid have denied media reports that coach Fabio Capello handed in his resignation earlier today.

Real Madrid have denied media reports that coach Fabio Capello handed in his resignation earlier today, the day before the club's Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.

"The board is unaware of any resignation by Fabio Capello and we were very surprised by the reports that appeared in the media," club spokesman Miguel Angel Arroyo told a news conference at the Bernabeu. "It hardly contributes to the right atmosphere on the eve of such an important match as tomorrow's game.

"Reports like this only serve to destabilise the club and we'd like to express our surprise and dismay about this type of report. In this world you can assure very few things, but I can guarantee that that the board has not received any resignation from Fabio Capello either verbally or in written form."

The Cope radio station had reported that Capello had thrown in the towel as Real coach but would sit on the bench for the match against Bayern at the Bernabeu before leaving the club.

Capello has come under fire following a series of poor results, which saw Madrid lose three out of four games either side of the winter break, before suffering an embarrassing home defeat to struggling Levante a fortnight ago.

Madrid fans called for Capello and club president Ramon Calderon to resign during the Levante match, but the board publicly voiced their support for the coach in a press conference the following day.

The Madrid faithful were again left frustrated on Saturday when their side were held to a disappointing goalless draw at home to Real Betis, but Arroyo insisted the board had not withdrawn their support for Capello.

"We maintain the same attitude with respect to him that we had previously," he said.

Madrid are fourth in the Primera Liga standings with 42 points, four less than joint leaders Barcelona and Sevilla.