Rule reminder
'Capire' (to understand/realize) uses 'capire che + indicative' or 'capire + noun'. 'Percepire' (to perceive/sense) can take a noun or bare infinitive. 'Avvertire' (to feel/sense, or to warn) in the perceptual sense takes a noun or 'che + indicative'. These verbs extend the family of perception verbs with subtle semantic differences.
Ho capito _____ la situazione stava peggiorando.