Fabio Capello is a tangential figure in the investigation into Gea World, once Italy’s most powerful football agency, and the crisis that has gripped the nation since the story broke shortly before the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany. Gea was managed by Alessandro Moggi, the son of Luciano Moggi, the Juventus general manager.

It was Moggi Sr who brought Capello to Juventus from AS Roma in 2004, a move that led to a rift between the England manager and Franco Baldini, his trusted deputy. Baldini, as Roma’s general manager, had been a vocal critic of Gea’s methods.

Allegations of intimidation are at the heart of the corruption investigation. Luciano Moggi is accused of using his position to pressure players and managers into signing for Gea.

Moggi was said to wield influence through the reliance of smaller clubs, such as Siena and Messina, on younger players loaned from the Turin club or players controlled by Gea. On one occasion in 2006, Siena fielded a starting XI against Juventus that included seven players who were either on loan from the Turin club or Gea players.

Alessandro Moggi was part of a network of sons and daughters of influential football figures involved in Gea. Marcello Lippi, the former Italy coach, was questioned over consultancy work that his son, Davide, did for Gea. Other shareholders included Andrea Cragnotti, the son of Sergio, a Lazio chairman, and Francesca Tanzi, the daughter of Calisto Tanzi, the owner of Parma at the time.

Baldini testified regarding accusations that Luciano Moggi applied undue pressure on youth-team players in an attempt to get them to sign up with Gea. Capello, when with Roma in 2002, gave warning, in an interview with Corriere dello Sport, of a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of the agency.

Capello said that he made the comments — which appear to undermine his claim that he was only vaguely aware of Gea’s role — because they were in Roma’s interests. Baldini, who handled the signing of players at the club, had much greater dealings with Gea. The gist of Baldini’s testimony yesterday is that he was confronted by Moggi Sr at a league meeting in 2001 and asked why so few Roma players were represented by Gea.

Relations between Baldini and Moggi remain strained. At one point yesterday, the judge formally cautioned Moggi for what he called “inappropriate and intimidating” gestures at Baldini during the England assistant manager’s testimony.

“Luciano, you have 18 lawyers, leave me in peace,” Baldini said. When the judge asked what had provoked the outburst, Baldini said: “He was giving me the usual threatening signals he gives me and always has done.”

Moggi is serving a five-year ban from football for the 2006 match- fixing scandal, relating to securing favourable referees, that resulted in Juventus being relegated.

Capello’s insistence that he took no part in the signing of players and did not know the agencies to which they belonged is not as incredible as it sounds.

Italian clubs tend to have a more clearly defined split between the duties of the general manager and the head coach compared with British managers. “I give indications for transfers, then I give the assignment to the sporting director of the club and he takes care of it,” Capello has said.

Capello believes that he has been called as a witness simply because he has a high-profile name. In the Italian legal systems, crusading prosecutors have been known to build reputations for themselves by embarking on celebrated campaigns. In a separate case, Capello is also being investigated over allegations of tax evasion.

In addition, Luca Palamara, the prosecutor, said that he may bring a case against Antonio Giraudo, the former Juventus chief executive, who is based in London, for allegedly withholding information.

Agents provocateurs timeline

2001 Gea World founded by Alessandro Moggi, son of Luciano Moggi, Juventus general manager.

2002 Fabio Capello, AS Roma coach at the time, warns of conflict of interest and concentration of power at Gea.

2004 Capello leaves Roma for Juventus, angering fans and leaving behind Franco Baldini, his trusted deputy.

2005 Gea's influence reaches its height, with a roster of more than 200 players. It is said to have most of the Juventus team on its books, half of all top-flight players and presidents of three Serie A clubs.

2006 Italian football is engulfed in a wave of scandal. Luciano Moggi is implicated in a match-fixing scandal and banned from football for five years. Gea is investigated over allegations that it threatened players to force them to leave other agents and that it intimidated players to underperform against Juventus. Capello leaves Juventus for Real Madrid in July and asks Baldini to be his assistant. Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio found guilty of sporting fraud in match-fixing trial.

2007 Capello is appointed England manager, taking Baldini with him.

2008 Capello faces inquiry into alleged tax fraud. The Italian is threatened with prosecution for withholding information.

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