.jpg)
1 month ago
14 ARTICLE AD
Antonio Pintus is the indispensable physical trainer of Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, the former assistant to Didier Deschamps, poached by Zinédine Zidane at the Casa Blanca in 2019 and then dismissed by the same “Zizou” in 2019.
Although Kylian Mbappé has already played two matches with Real Madrid in the last week (the European Super Cup against Atalanta, with a goal, and the first Liga match in Mallorca, four days later), the new star striker of the Merengues is still in the pre-season preparation phase. The captain of the French team had 20 days of leave and only started training a week before the first match organized in Warsaw (Poland). Carlo Ancelotti’s staff has therefore reserved a special program for him in order to perfect his physical condition before the autumn deadlines.
Antonio Pintus’ work is highly anticipated with Mbappé, who was physically dying throughout last season with PSG (and completely knocked out at Euro 2024, but due to his broken nose). The Italian fitness coach is considered an indispensable element not only by his compatriot Ancelotti but also by president Florentino Pérez. The club’s management regrets having validated Pintus’ departure in June 2019 when Zinédine Zidane had requested the arrival of Grégory Dupont as the new fitness coach (for an almost 100% French staff).
Zidane broke everything
Yet it was “Zizou” who brought Pintus back during his promotion in 2016 as number 1 at Real. The Turin native has been the great specialist in physical preparation for decades. He was in charge of this area at Juventus in the 90s, with Didier Deschamps and Zinédine Zidane as players. “La Dèche” took Pintus with him during his stints on the benches of Monaco (2001-2005), Juve (2006-2007) and OM (2010-2011). For the successes that we know. Pintus clearly liked Provence since he stayed for a year on the staff of Marseille Consolat (which became Athlético Marseille then Marseille Consolat Nord).
After Zidane was removed from the Madrid bench in 2018 after a third consecutive Champions League title, Pintus was kept on the first team staff (Julen Lopetegui). The Galactico took over in March 2019 but then requested a change of fitness coach in the off-season. Real were crowned Spanish champions in 2020 but lost their crown the following year (overtaken by Atlético), during a season marked by a total of 42 injuries! The change of “prep” had been singled out by the local media…
Written by:
Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team.
 
 As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers.
 
 When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.
