Fabio Capello claims the title race in Serie A will already be over for another season if Juventus sign defender Matthijs de Ligt.

Juve are reported to be closing in on a deal for De Ligt, who is already Ajax’s captain and a full Netherlands international at 19 and had been linked with several top clubs, including Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

“If Juve sign De Ligt then it’s over. Again. And we go directly to the season after,” Capello told Corriere dello Sport.

Today is the 73nd birthday of legendary Italian Coach Fabio Capello, a Champions League winner with Milan in 1994.

Born near Trieste in 1946, Capello began his career as a midfielder for Spal, before moving to Roma for 260m lire in 1967.

He scored his first goal for the club in November of that year, the winner against Juventus in a 1-0 victory.

The Giallorossi won the Coppa Italia in his second season, reaching the Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final the following season.

Alessandro Costacurta hailed Anfield for having ‘something in its walls’ as Liverpool beat Barcelona 4-0, while Fabio Capello hit out at Philippe Coutinho.

Liverpool overturned a 3-0 deficit from the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Barca, who suffered a ‘remontada’ against Roma last season.

“There must be something,” Costacurta told Sky Sport Italia.

“It’s clear that comebacks don’t only happen here, but there must be something in those walls that transforms certain players.

Former Milan CEO Adriano Galliani recalled the time he and Fabio Capello celebrated winning the Champions League in 1994 by getting drunk and almost losing the trophy.

Speaking at an event in Milan, the current Monza Chairman reminisced about the glory years at the San Siro and especially the night after the Rossoneri beat Barcelona 4-0 in Athens in the Champions League final.

Fabio Capello has changed his mind on the Champions League favourites, pointing to Juventus and Barcelona. “Manchester City look tired.”

The quarter-final second legs are next week and qualification for the final four hangs in the balance.

“Barcelona are one of the favourites to win the Champions League and have everything it takes to achieve it,” legendary tactician Capello told Mundo Deportivo.

Fabio Capello is impressed with the new generation of Italy players, above all Nicolò Zaniolo and Nicolò Barella, but has advice for Federico Bernardeschi.

The Azzurri host Finland at 19.45 GMT in the opening Euro 2020 qualifier.

“I really like Barella, but Zaniolo has stunned me for how quickly he has progressed and is continuing to improve,” Capello told Radio Deejay.

Former Milan and Italy boss Arrigo Sacchi has been ranked the third-best Coach in history by France Football.

The prestigious publication released its top 50 Coaches of all time on Tuesday, based on their honours list, legacy, character, longevity and impact.

Sacchi won a Scudetto and two European Cups with Milan between 1987 and 1991, while leading the movement that discarded the use of sweepers in Italian football.

Fabio Capello claims that while Cristiano Ronaldo is ‘extraordinary and a champion’, the Juventus forward is not one of football’s three ‘geniuses’.

Ronaldo’s hat-trick fired Juve into the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, but Capello insists the No 7 does not possess the natural flair of Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele.

“Ronaldo’s an extraordinary footballer, but Messi is a genius,” the former Bianconeri boss told Sky Sport Italia.

Fabio Capello believes Juventus can eliminate Atletico Madrid from the Champions League, but “must be wary of counter-attacks.”

They must overturn a 2-0 deficit and the second leg kicks off in Turin at 20.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens and give your views on the LIVEBLOG.