REAL MADRID MANAGER José Mourinho was the target of an attempted stabbing last week, in an incident in which his bodyguard received stab wounds, the club has confirmed.

The coach was signing autographs in the main hall of the A Coruña airport last week, ahead of Real’s match with local side Deportivo last weekend, when a man lunged at him and attempted to stab him.

The Portuguese coach was shielded by a bodyguard, however, who thought he had sustained a punch – but later realised he had sustained a wound around four centimetres deep near his armpit

News of the attack only emerged yesterday, however, when the club informed Mourinho about the attack and news broke to the Spanish media.

El Periodico reported: “The bodyguard was near the manager and noticed he had been stabbed in the armpit. Mourinho was very worried by the incident.”

The Independent now reports that CCTV footage is being analysed as police consider pressing charges, while Real Madrid’s security detail may now be changed to allow the team board their bus on an airport runway, instead of having to travel through a terminal.

Independently, meanwhile, Sky News reports that police in Italy have uncovered details of a plot to potentially kidnap Mourinho and his family while he was coaching Inter Milan.