Antonio Pintus will not be part of Xabi Alonso’s coaching staff, but his presence at Real Madrid remains secure. The Italian fitness coach is under contract with the club, and his role is independent of any changes in the first-team head coach position. This arrangement, while offering continuity, also raises questions about how Pintus will fit into the new regime after Ancelotti's second tenure.

As the season unfolded, Madrid’s physical conditioning came under the spotlight. Whenever results faltered, fingers were often pointed at the team’s fitness levels. This year’s injury crisis has only added to the scrutiny—35 of the 50 reported injuries were muscular. It’s a stark contrast to the golden days when Pintus’s approach was praised and credited for peak performance during title-winning campaigns.

The number of injuries triggered a series of internal reviews throughout the season. Meetings were held to evaluate the reasons behind the continuous setbacks. Within Ancelotti’s own staff, there were calls for a modernized approach to fitness training. While Pintus’s methods had been highly effective in the past, there’s a growing sense that they may no longer match the demands of today’s congested football calendar.

Should the club decide to make a change, that responsibility will fall on Alberto Encinas. He managed the physical preparation for Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen squad and is known for his success in developing younger players, adapting well to the intense pace and rhythm of modern football.

Pintus, born in Turin in 1962, first arrived at Real Madrid in 2016 under the recommendation of Zinedine Zidane, whom he had previously worked with at Juventus. He stayed until Zidane’s initial departure, contributing during the club’s era of dominance that included three consecutive Champions League titles. After a stint with Antonio Conte at Inter, Pintus returned to Madrid in 2021, once again handpicked—this time by Ancelotti—following a season in which his predecessor, Grégory Dupont, faced heavy criticism.

Pintus was widely lauded during the pandemic-hit campaign in which Madrid won La Liga, but his methods came under fire the following season as injuries piled up. Nevertheless, his close ties to Florentino Pérez helped cement his return, and he played a key role in the Champions League triumphs in Paris and London. Whether that legacy continues into the Xabi Alonso era remains to be seen.

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