Miccoli forced to return to Juve

Italy striker Fabrizio Miccoli has been forced to return to Juventus after Fiorentina failed to agree to a deal with the Italian champions.

Miccoli signed for Fiorentina last season in a joint ownership deal which had to be resolved this week.

After the two clubs failed to reach agreement, Miccoli's future was decided by a blind auction with Juventus making the higher offer.

Miccoli had made it clear that he wanted to stay at Fiorentina and told newspapers yesterday that a return to Juventus would be a "tragedy".

But his agent Francesco Caliandro said: "We have to accept the situation - end of story. It was a calculated risk. Miccoli is now a Juventus player and there is nothing else we can do," he said.

It is unlikely that Miccoli will remain at Juventus for long, however, and media reports have suggested the Turin club will attempt to use the forward as bait in a bid to lure Antonio Cassano from Roma.

Juventus coach Fabio Capello now has six strikers on his books with Miccoli joining Alessandro Del Piero, Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Frenchman David Trezeguet, Uruguayan Marcelo Zalayeta and Romanian Adrian Mutu.

Fiorentina had three players on joint ownership deals from Juventus and have lost the services of all of them.

Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini and midfielder Enzo Maresca will follow Miccoli back to the Delle Alpi stadium - at least for now.