Manchester City interested in hiring long-serving member of Real Madrid’s back room staff: Reports

Manchester City are reportedly interested in hiring Antonio Pintus, a fitness coach who returned to Real Madrid with manager Carlo Ancelotti in 2021. He has since become a vital aspect of the coaching team, helping the Madridistas with a remarkable eight trophies in three years.

The fitness coach gained prominence at Los Blancos after former manager Zinedine Zidane reportedly asked for the club to sign Pintus (via Managing Madrid). He was part of the coaching staff that helped the club win three Champions League trophies in a row.

It was little surprise that club president Florentino Perez pushed to sign him again when Ancelotti took over from Zidane, after the Frenchman's second tenure.

Pintus has worked with other top European clubs including Inter Milan, Juventus, Marseille, and Chelsea since he began his career with ASD Settimo in 1991 (via Transfermarkt). His methods have clearly impressed other European clubs, with Manchester City reportedly interested in his services (via Madrid Zone).

Antonio Pintus has spoken about his training methods in the past. Ahead of Real Madrid's Champions League 1-0 win over Liverpool, the legendary fitness coach revealed to Jugones de La Sexta (via Managing Madrid):

”Every time he [Florentino Perez] sees me, he tells me: ‘We give them [the players] a hard time, right?’ When he called me to come back he told me: ‘I want a team with a lot of intensity.’ And I told him not to worry."

Pintus added:

"It’s the method that adapts to different teams and different needs. Push players to the limit, but with respect. I know they hate me sometimes.”

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Carlo Ancelotti has named a Real Madrid star who will likely miss out on Ballon d'Or

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that his trusted midfielder Toni Kroos will likely not be in contention to win the Ballon d'Or this year. The German legend has been a staple at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for the better part of the last decade.

Although he has played in nearly every match this season, helping them reach the final of the Champions League and win La Liga, Ancelotti does not see the German winning the Ballon d'Or. The Real Madrid manager said (via Daily Post):

“Ballon d’Or for Kroos? Yes, I would like it but he won’t win it. Or maybe… anything can happen. There is the Euro this summer, if he wins the Champions League and the Euro with Germany… he could fight for the Ballon d’Or.”

Toni Kroos will look to take his manager's words to heart and drive Germany to win the 2024 Euros this summer, as this will certainly put him in contention for the coveted award.