The Italian answers only to the president at Real, with coach Bernd Schuster's contract including a clause that prevents him from questioning Di Salvo's methods, says El Mundo Deportivo.

Real's form slide in recent weeks is being blamed on the fitness of senior players and the slow recovery of those injured.

Di Salvo and his team of experts are costing Real a cool £1.5 million-a-year and he is total control of how the players prepare and recover for games and also their rehabilitation from injuries.