Real Madrid Confidencial Xabi Alonso makes his first big decision with Pintus in the United States, the details
The Italian fitness coach is relegated to the background during this stage
Antonio Pintus has been an extremely important figure at Real Madrid in recent years. The Italian was responsible for the players' physical preparation and, especially during preseason, he was very active during training sessions. Now, with Xabi leading the coaching staff, it seems this has changed.
This is how Antonio Romero, journalist from Cadena SER and special correspondent in the United States for the Club World Cup, explained it. "He's here with the squad, but he has a different job now, he's no longer the first team's fitness coach," he began explaining. "We saw him in the area away from the footballers while they were working on the field, I'm not going to say he's irrelevant, but his role is minor," he continued.
He also recalls that Pintus was a signing by Florentino and that Xabi Alonso trusts his own people a lot. "Xabi Alonso is someone with very clear ideas, Pintus was a presidential signing and that's why he keeps him with the squad and doing fieldwork."
Javier Herráez, another special correspondent from SER, revealed what the coach from Donostia told his players. According to him, he was very clear: "Whoever doesn't run and doesn't make an effort won't play, no matter what their name is. Whoever skips a run gets a yellow card, and on the second one, a red," he emphasized.
Different times
As can be seen in the videos of the training sessions, things have changed a lot at the white house. Xabi Alonso is nothing like Ancelotti and the footballers are already noticing it in every way.
Not better or worse, just different. The man from Tolosa is facing his first major challenge as Real Madrid's manager in this World Cup and hopes to do it in the best way possible. The top executives of the club insist that everyone needs to stay calm, but they don't deny they're excited about everything they're seeing.
The white team's debut in this new competition will be on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. (Spanish peninsular time). Their opponent will be Simone Inzaghi's Al-Hilal.
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