"In order to determine the size of the fine according to the club's internal disciplinary regime, the sporting staff will take into account the coach's explanations ... and the regret he has expressed for his unfortunate gesture," read a statement on the club's Web site.

Capello apologised for twice raising his middle finger towards some fans sitting in the stands near the dugout as he left the pitch at the end of Sunday's game at the Bernabeu.

"Since the first day I arrived there have been two people behind the bench who have continually offended me, and today it went too far," Capello said in the post-match news conference.

"They are the same ones that were here 10 years ago, but I shouldn't have done what I did."