Report: Mourinho wants Antonio Pintus removed to take Real Madrid job
Quick summary
Spanish outlet Sport reports that Jose Mourinho has demanded the dismissal of fitness coach Antonio Pintus as a condition for returning to Real Madrid. The report also says Mourinho wants wider control over sporting decisions and medical processes.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceAccording to Spanish newspaper Sport, Jose Mourinho has demanded the sacking of Italian fitness coach Antonio Pintus if he is to take the Real Madrid job.
Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News and Content – Free Trial – Click Here epa11382233 Real Madrid fitness coach Antonio Pintus (C) and players during the training session of Madrid for the UEFA Champions League final in London, Britain, 31 May 2024. Real Madrid will face Borussia Dortmund on 01 June 2024 in the UEFA Champions League final. EPA-EFE/ANDY RAIN There are multiple reports over the last few days that the players are irritated with Alvaro Arbeloa and are looking for a new tactician, but could look back for the return of Mourinho.
He had first taken the job when leaving Inter in the wake of their Treble triumph of 2010, where they won the Scudetto, Champions League and Coppa Italia.
Mourinho urges Real Madrid to sack Italian coach TURIN, ITALY – JANUARY 21: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Benfica, looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between Juventus and SL Benfica at Juventus Stadium on January 21, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images) In order to come back, it’s reported Mourinho has a list of demands that were set out during a video call with President Florentino Perez.
They included a request that Real Madrid fire Italian fitness coach Pintus , a 63-year-old who has had several different spells with the Merengues.
He first joined them from 2016 to 2019, then went to work with Antonio Conte at Inter from 2019-21.
There was a return to Real Madrid that summer, working as performance manager and fitness coach in various roles.
Pintus has also worked at Juventus , Chelsea, Sunderland, Olympique Marseille and other clubs.
It is not clear why Mourinho is so dead set against keeping the Italian as part of his coaching staff.
Among the other requests, the Special One also wants at least a two-year contract, for the club to appoint a formal spokesman (something he had already complained about with Roma), absolute independence on sporting decisions, and allowing players to seek a second medical opinion on injuries.
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What happened
According to Sport, Mourinho set out several conditions in a video call with Florentino Perez about a possible return to Real Madrid. One reported demand is the removal of long-serving Italian fitness coach Antonio Pintus, who has worked across multiple spells at the club. The article offers no confirmed reason for Mourinho's stance and presents the development as part of broader unrest around Real Madrid's coaching situation. If accurate, it points to potential staffing and managerial restructuring rather than an immediate squad change.
Chance analysis
This matters mainly as a managerial and backroom-staff signal rather than a direct player-performance update. A change in fitness leadership could eventually affect training loads, injury management, and squad preparation, but the current report is too speculative to support a strong football-market reaction. The bigger takeaway is possible instability around Real Madrid's coaching structure.
The immediate effect on Real Madrid is limited, but the report hints at possible internal restructuring if a Mourinho return gains traction.
Treat this as low-confidence managerial noise unless corroborated by official Real Madrid or top-tier Spanish reporting.