🔗 Share this article Why Real Madrid Possess 'Total Faith' in Teenager Thiago Pitarch Thiago Pitarch has played seven games for the Spanish giants, featuring five starts. Whenever a teenage makes Real Madrid a historic moment in a crucial European match against City, it inevitably draws praise and attention. During his maiden start in the competition - and fifth game for the team - Thiago Pitarch suitably impressed as the fifteen-time European champions claimed a three-nil round of 16 first-leg lead at the Bernabeu. The teenager, who also made his club debut in the play-off round a month ago with a cameo off the bench at Sporting Lisbon, then helped Los Blancos defeat the English Premier League side in Tuesday's second leg to secure a quarter-final berth. Aged 18 years old, the midfielder became the team's youngest player to begin two matches in the Champions League knockout stages, beating Brazil forward Vini Jr's previous mark by a week and a half. Rapid Ascent Through La Fabrica This talent is the latest to come through from the club's academy and is quickly establishing himself as one of the manager's most promising protegees. He signed for Madrid from Leganes in the summer of 2023, having formerly spent time at Atletico and Getafe's youth teams, and starting out for the Juvenil C team, where he quickly made a strong impression. Pitarch worked his way up to the reserve side and it was in a friendly match in which they faced the academy's first team, then coached by Arbeloa, where the youngster is said to have drawn the eye of the present manager, who replaced the previous coach in the new year. Reports would later label the moment as "an instant connection," adding Pitarch excelled not only for his technical ability, but for the energy, character and determination he brought to the team. 'His Greatest Quality Remains His Character' During the pre-season of 2025, ex-manager Xabi Alonso invited Pitarch to practice with the first team and gave him minutes in the warm-up matches. However, it was Arbeloa's appointment that proved the turning point in his career as he came on as a second-half replacement in both ties against the Portuguese side that led to the meeting with Manchester City. "I have dreamed of this each night before going to bed, the very first time I began playing football, each day you head to training and each day you have a game," stated the player following his first appearance. "I've just fulfilled my dream with the best team in the planet and in the best competition." Handed a starting debut in La Liga against Getafe - where he spent four years after arriving from Atleti in 2018 - he has retained his spot for the following four as injuries to Jude Bellingham and Dani Ceballos created an opportunity. The teenager has taken it with performances that have belied his age and experience. "He is a extremely fast player, and you can see what he's capable of," remarked Arbeloa. "He's incredibly dynamic, with great stamina, effort and mobility." The player's mindset has also stood out to his coach. "His standout trait is his personality," added Arbeloa. "He always wants the ball, and even under pressure, he remains unfazed. "I realize fans might be astonished to watch him start in a Champions League match, but he's playing because I had complete confidence in him to perform what he usually does. "He will keep receiving chances with the first team. It's a pleasure to have a player like him." Spain or Morocco? Born in a Madrid suburb, in the Madrid region, and grew up deeply involved in the local game, progressing through youth setups before entering Real Madrid's famous youth academy. He possesses dual Moroccan and Spanish citizenship, offering him the choice to represent either country at the highest level. According to international regulations, footballers may represent multiple nations at junior level without being locked in, with the final decision only final once they appear in a official full international. Pitarch has played for the Spanish national team at underage levels, turning out for both the U19 and under-20 sides, and participated in the 2025 Fifa Under-20 World Cup, where Spain reached the last eight. Nevertheless, he has not yet decided to either senior national team, who are monitoring his progress with interest. In a recent interview, the player confirmed: "I have not taken my final decision yet. My situation is great with the Spanish federation, but I'll make a conclusion in the near future." His situation echoes that of other dual nationality talents such as Real team-mate Brahim Diaz and Barca star Lamine Yamal. Whereas 18-year-old Lamine opted for Spain, Diaz decided to represent Morocco. Focus on the Future For now, his attention is on making his mark in the Madrid lineup and rewarding Arbeloa's faith. He played 74 minutes in the 2-1 win at City, which completed a 5-1 aggregate success and a quarter-final matchup with Bayern Munich. He was replaced by another academy player in Angel underscored Arbeloa's trust in the next generation to aid the team pursue future success. Following his impressive impact so far on the Champions League, Pitarch is tipped to play a key role in that. "Arbeloa handles me the same. We deal with it very normally. I try not to think about it too much - I have to earn my playing time on the pitch," he said after the win at Etihad Stadium.
Thiago Pitarch has played seven games for the Spanish giants, featuring five starts. Whenever a teenage makes Real Madrid a historic moment in a crucial European match against City, it inevitably draws praise and attention. During his maiden start in the competition - and fifth game for the team - Thiago Pitarch suitably impressed as the fifteen-time European champions claimed a three-nil round of 16 first-leg lead at the Bernabeu. The teenager, who also made his club debut in the play-off round a month ago with a cameo off the bench at Sporting Lisbon, then helped Los Blancos defeat the English Premier League side in Tuesday's second leg to secure a quarter-final berth. Aged 18 years old, the midfielder became the team's youngest player to begin two matches in the Champions League knockout stages, beating Brazil forward Vini Jr's previous mark by a week and a half. Rapid Ascent Through La Fabrica This talent is the latest to come through from the club's academy and is quickly establishing himself as one of the manager's most promising protegees. He signed for Madrid from Leganes in the summer of 2023, having formerly spent time at Atletico and Getafe's youth teams, and starting out for the Juvenil C team, where he quickly made a strong impression. Pitarch worked his way up to the reserve side and it was in a friendly match in which they faced the academy's first team, then coached by Arbeloa, where the youngster is said to have drawn the eye of the present manager, who replaced the previous coach in the new year. Reports would later label the moment as "an instant connection," adding Pitarch excelled not only for his technical ability, but for the energy, character and determination he brought to the team. 'His Greatest Quality Remains His Character' During the pre-season of 2025, ex-manager Xabi Alonso invited Pitarch to practice with the first team and gave him minutes in the warm-up matches. However, it was Arbeloa's appointment that proved the turning point in his career as he came on as a second-half replacement in both ties against the Portuguese side that led to the meeting with Manchester City. "I have dreamed of this each night before going to bed, the very first time I began playing football, each day you head to training and each day you have a game," stated the player following his first appearance. "I've just fulfilled my dream with the best team in the planet and in the best competition." Handed a starting debut in La Liga against Getafe - where he spent four years after arriving from Atleti in 2018 - he has retained his spot for the following four as injuries to Jude Bellingham and Dani Ceballos created an opportunity. The teenager has taken it with performances that have belied his age and experience. "He is a extremely fast player, and you can see what he's capable of," remarked Arbeloa. "He's incredibly dynamic, with great stamina, effort and mobility." The player's mindset has also stood out to his coach. "His standout trait is his personality," added Arbeloa. "He always wants the ball, and even under pressure, he remains unfazed. "I realize fans might be astonished to watch him start in a Champions League match, but he's playing because I had complete confidence in him to perform what he usually does. "He will keep receiving chances with the first team. It's a pleasure to have a player like him." Spain or Morocco? Born in a Madrid suburb, in the Madrid region, and grew up deeply involved in the local game, progressing through youth setups before entering Real Madrid's famous youth academy. He possesses dual Moroccan and Spanish citizenship, offering him the choice to represent either country at the highest level. According to international regulations, footballers may represent multiple nations at junior level without being locked in, with the final decision only final once they appear in a official full international. Pitarch has played for the Spanish national team at underage levels, turning out for both the U19 and under-20 sides, and participated in the 2025 Fifa Under-20 World Cup, where Spain reached the last eight. Nevertheless, he has not yet decided to either senior national team, who are monitoring his progress with interest. In a recent interview, the player confirmed: "I have not taken my final decision yet. My situation is great with the Spanish federation, but I'll make a conclusion in the near future." His situation echoes that of other dual nationality talents such as Real team-mate Brahim Diaz and Barca star Lamine Yamal. Whereas 18-year-old Lamine opted for Spain, Diaz decided to represent Morocco. Focus on the Future For now, his attention is on making his mark in the Madrid lineup and rewarding Arbeloa's faith. He played 74 minutes in the 2-1 win at City, which completed a 5-1 aggregate success and a quarter-final matchup with Bayern Munich. He was replaced by another academy player in Angel underscored Arbeloa's trust in the next generation to aid the team pursue future success. Following his impressive impact so far on the Champions League, Pitarch is tipped to play a key role in that. "Arbeloa handles me the same. We deal with it very normally. I try not to think about it too much - I have to earn my playing time on the pitch," he said after the win at Etihad Stadium.