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LISBON, PORTUGAL – NOVEMBER 05: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Benfica, looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between SL Benfica and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at on November 05, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
According 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.
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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
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.
