After a two month break the Champions League returns tonight with the first matches of the last 16 knockout stage. Click here for all games..

Real Madrid have denied reports claiming coach Fabio Capello has offered to resign.

According to reports in Spain, Capello has handed in his notice and his final match in charge of the team would be Wednesday’s Champions League fixture with Bayern Munich.

Capello was widely reported to have withdrawn the threat after the club allegedly warned him that he would not receive a penny if he left of his own free will.

However, Madrid board spokesman Miguel Angel Arroyo dismissed the report as a ‘rumour’ during a press conference at the Bernabeu stadium.

He said: “It is a rumour. Fabio Capello has not presented his resignation either verbally, or in written form.

“We were surprised when we saw it, because this certainly doesn’t contribute to the climate of serenity and unity that we hoped for before such an important game as tomorrow’s against Bayern.

“They are negative reports, to which we express our surprise and dismay.”

However, Arroyo refused to confirm whether Capello would be in charge for this weekend’s derby at Atletico Madrid.

“There are few things in this world that can be guaranteed,” he said. “But I guarantee that the board have certainly not received any resignation.

“We maintain the same attitude with respect to him that we had previously,” Arroyo added.

Capello’s position has come under scrutiny following a series of poor results, which saw Madrid lose three out of four games either side of the winter break, culminating in an embarrassing home defeat to Levante a fortnight ago.

The poor run prompted Madrid fans to call for Capello and club president Ramon Calderon to resign, but the board publicly backed the coach in a press conference the following day.

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

World Soccer editor Gavin Hamilton on the Capello speculation.

After a two month break the Champions League returns tonight with the first matches of the last 16 knockout stage. Click here for all games..