Mbappe faces Real Madrid 'shock therapy' after Euro 2024 stinker

Tom Weber

Updated: 14 Jul 2024 17:22 BST
3 min read

Kylian Mbappe, France, Euro 2024 — © IMAGO

Real Madrid have tasked rigorous fitness coach Antonio Pintus with putting Kylian Mbappe through his paces, according to Spanish media.

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The French megastar is coming off a strange season. Though he won a domestic double with PSG and put up spectacular numbers, scoring 44 times in 48 games, Mbappe wasn't always at his scintillating best.

This was particularly evident at Euro 2024 as France's talisman failed to perform. The 25-year-old was honest about his shortcomings, describing the tournament in Germany as a personal failure.

Rumours have abounded as to why Mbappe hasn't looked himself recently, and a lot of the blame has been pinned on his treatment at PSG. Due to not having a proper pre-season after being banished from the team for refusing to extend his contract, Mbappe hasn't been at his peak physical level.

Additionally, it is thought that his contract standoff and the subsequent Real Madrid transfer saga took their toll mentally as well. Now, Los Blancos have tasked their notorious fitness coach with helping Mbappe get back to his best.

Pintus to the rescue

Real Madrid will be active in seven competitions next term and could play north of 70 games, so they will need Mbappe on top form. To this end, AS reports that Antonio Pintus, nicknamed 'The Sergeant,' will put the Frenchman through his paces following his arrival for pre-season.

Mbappe is scheduled to be unveiled on Tuesday in front of an already-sold-out Santiago Bernabeu and he will face a rigorous training and rehabilitation programme under Pintus.

The Spanish paper describes it as a 'Cristiano Ronaldo-style' project for Pintus, while Footmercato has called it 'shock therapy' for Mbappe. The mission is to have him in peak physical and mental condition by the time the European Super Cup clash with Atalanta rolls around on August 14.