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ROME, March 31 (Reuters) - England coach Fabio Capello is being investigated by an Italian state prosecutor on suspicion of withholding information from a court, a judicial source said on Monday.
The prosecutor intends to bring a case against former Juventus coach Capello and ex-Juve director Antonio Giraudo after they gave evidence in a trial of six men accused of fostering unfair competition through the use of threats or violence as part of Italy's Gea World sports agency, the source said.
Under Italian law, a person found guilty of withholding information in court can be jailed for up to six years.
The English Football Association, Capello's employers, declined to comment, calling it a "private matter", but the Italian's lawyers said in a statement they were confident everything "will soon be completely cleared".
"We are really surprised by the Public Prosecutor's declaration. Mr Capello was heard as a witness in the procedings against Gea...and confirmed before the Court of Rome all of the declarations he had already provided to the Public Prosecutor during the investigation," the statement said.
"Mr Capello made it clear he has never been involved in the conclusion of professional football players' contracts and has only limited and indirect knowledge of this subject.
"At the end of the hearing this morning, Mr Capello was certain that in his capacity as a witness, he had given all the information required of him to the Prosecutor and the Court."
Capello told the court he had never heard of players being put under pressure to sign specific agreements.
Former Juve general manager Luciano Moggi, at the centre of Italy's 2006 match-fixing affair, and Davide Lippi, son of former Italy coach Marcello, are among the defendants.
Capello worked under Moggi at Juventus from 2004-06 and his time in charge of AS Roma between 1999 and 2004 also interested the court.
The 61-year-old, appointed England coach in December, is also being investigated for alleged tax fraud by prosecutors in Turin. He has said his finances are in order.
UNDER PRESSURE
In court, Capello denied having had relations with the directors of Gea and having been put under pressure over the management of players during his time at Juve and Roma.
Prosecutor Luca Palamara asked the court for and obtained the transcripts of Capello and Giraudo's statements, accusing both of withholding information, the source said.
It was not clear which part of Capello's testimony the prosecutor was unhappy with.
"I give indications for transfers, then I give the assignment to the sporting director of the club and he takes care of it," Capello had said about his practices as a club coach.
Capello was coach of Juventus when they were demoted to Serie B and stripped of their 2005 and 2006 Italian championships because of a match-fixing scandal linked to procuring favourable referees.
He subsequently left for a second spell in charge of Real Madrid.
Moggi, who was banned from football for five years for his part in the scandal, was told off in court on Monday for gesturing to England assistant coach Franco Baldini, who was also a witness from his time as Roma sporting director.
Moggi's son Alessandro, also on trial, is head of Gea.
Capello was appointed as England's second foreign coach after they failed to qualify for Euro 2008 in November when Steve McClaren was sacked.
His side beat Switzerland 2-1 at Wembley in February in his first game in charge but England lost 1-0 in France last week in a second friendly.
