Real Madrid News
Real Madrid believe fitness crisis has been resolved thanks to key January appointment
Florentino Perez’s decision to overhaul the technical staff in January was a clear signal that the status quo was no longer sufficient.
While the headlines focused on Alvaro Arbeloa replacing Xabi Alonso, the return of Antonio Pintus as the head of physical preparation has been equally transformative.
Tasked with reviving a squad that appeared physically spent, the Italian has successfully stabilised a team previously plagued by persistent injuries.
Pintus has done his job
According to Defensa Central, Real Madrid believe Pintus has done his job well by ensuring there are no physical bottlenecks in the team and that players are performing to their peak fitness.
The Italian fitness coach has worked directly with the squad to erase the injury crisis that defined the first half of the season.
With the exception of the long-term absence of Rodrygo, the streak of bad luck seems to be over. Key figures like Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, and Eder Militao have all successfully returned to the fold.
Militao, in particular, has impressed a lot and is primed for a start in the second leg clash against Bayern Munich.
Furthermore, Pintus has been credited with helping Jude Bellingham rediscover his physical dominance in the engine room, while Militão is gradually approaching his elite pre-injury form.
The club’s management is delighted with the impact Pintus has made. However, the club are still bothered by the team’s lapses in concentration.
Despite the physical resurgence, the team has struggled to take the necessary step forward tactically. Serious lapses in focus during the closing stages of matches have seen leads evaporate and points dropped.
The onus, therefore, is on Arbeloa to ensure his players regain their mental focus for the full 90 minutes if they are to have any hope of a late-season success.
In a major update, AS reports that former Real Madrid midfielder and club legend Toni Kroos has taken his first step towards starting his coaching career.
The former Germany international has told the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that he is interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers.
Real Madrid tried to bring Kroos back
It is no secret that Real Madrid considered bringing Toni Kroos back into the club’s structure after the end of the last season.
The club president, Florentino Perez, had wanted Kroos to have a daily presence at Valdebebas rather than making occasional appearances after his retirement.
Jose Angel Sanchez and Kroos spoke after Perez expressed his desire to see the German working at Valdebebas every day. However, they did not find the right moment, time or structure to give his return a clear form.
A comeback remains one of the possibilities most desired by Madrid supporters because of Kroos’ charisma and what he represents at the Santiago Bernabeu. Neither side wanted him to return simply for the sake of it, so the door remains open for the future.
The relationship between the two parties is excellent, and both know that the opportunity to work together again will eventually come.
Taking it step by step
For now, Kroos continues to run the academy he established in Boadilla, enjoying the opportunity to help develop younger players.
After two years away from the competitive side of football, however, he is beginning to look towards the dugout as a possible next step in his career.
Kroos currently holds coaching qualifications that allow him to work up to the third tier of Spanish football.
This is possible because professionals with at least seven years of proven experience and significant involvement at the elite level can gain direct access to accelerated coaching courses.
That means Kroos could coach a team in Primera Federacion, but the German wants to take things gradually.
Kroos has already informed the RFEF that he would be interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers during the 2027/28 season.
The course taking place this season is not available to elite former players, with UEFA limiting each campaign to 20 places.
With his current qualifications, Kroos could work as an assistant coach, but he cannot yet take charge as a head coach in either the top flight or the Segunda División.
But completing that programme would allow Kroos to obtain the UEFA A licence, which would enable him to coach teams at any level.
