🔗 Share this article The Reason Los Blancos Possess 'Complete Trust' in Teenager Pitarch Thiago Pitarch has played seven matches for Real Madrid, including five starts. When an teenage creates club a historic moment in a key European match against Manchester City, it naturally attracts praise and the spotlight. During his maiden start in the tournament - and fifth game for the team - Thiago Pitarch made a strong impression as the fifteen-time Champions League winners claimed a three-nil round of 16 first leg advantage at the Bernabeu. The teenager, who also had his club debut in the play-off round a month ago with a substitute appearance at Benfica, then assisted the Madrid side defeat the English champions in Tuesday's return to secure a quarter-final berth. At 18 years old, Pitarch was the team's youngest player to begin two matches in the Champions League's latter rounds, beating Brazil forward Vinicius Jr's record by a week and a half. A Meteoric Rise Through The Academy This talent is the most recent to emerge from the famed youth system and is quickly establishing himself as one of Alvaro Arbeloa's most exciting young players. He joined Real from CD Leganes in 2023, having previously been with Atletico Madrid and Getafe academies, and initially featuring for the under-19 side, where he rapidly created a positive impact. He worked his way up to the reserve side and it was in a friendly match in which they faced the senior squad, then coached by the former defender, where the teenager is said to have drawn the eye of the current Real boss, who replaced the previous coach in the new year. Spanish media would later describe the moment as "love at first sight," adding Pitarch stood out not only for his technical ability, but for the vitality, personality and drive he added to the team. 'His Greatest Quality Remains His Personality' In the summer of 2025, former boss Alonso called up Pitarch to train with the senior squad and gave him playing time in pre-season. However, it was Arbeloa's appointment that became the defining moment in his career as he was introduced as a late substitute in each leg against the Portuguese side that led to the clash with Pep Guardiola's team. "I have dreamed of this every night before going to bed, the first day I began playing the game, each day you go to train and each day you have a game," said the player following his first appearance. "I've just fulfilled my dream with the best team in the world and in the best competition." Handed a first start in the Spanish league against his former club - where he was for several seasons after moving from Atletico in 2018 - he has retained his spot for the next four as fitness issues to Bellingham and Ceballos created an opening. The teenager has seized it with performances that have defied his age and experience. "He is a very quick player, and you can observe what he's capable of," said Arbeloa. "He is incredibly energetic, with excellent endurance, work-rate and mobility." Pitarch's mentality has also impressed his manager. "His standout trait is his character," continued Arbeloa. "He constantly demands the possession, and when pressed, he remains unfazed. "I realize fans might be surprised to watch him start in a European fixture, but he's playing because I had complete confidence in him to do what he usually does. "He will continue to get chances with the first team. It is delightful to coach a talent like him." A Future International Decision Pitarch was born in Fuenlabrada, in the Madrid region, and was raised fully immersed in Spanish football, moving through youth setups before entering Real Madrid's renowned youth academy. He possesses both Spanish and Moroccan citizenship, offering him the choice to play for both nations at senior international level. According to Fifa eligibility rules, players may appear for different countries at youth level without being permanently tied, with the final decision only binding once they appear in a official full international. Pitarch has featured for the Spanish national team at youth level, representing both the U19 and U20 teams, and participated in the 2025 Fifa Under-20 World Cup, where Spain made it to the quarter-finals. Despite this, he has yet to commit to any senior national team, who are monitoring his progress with keen attention. In a recent interview, Pitarch said: "I haven't made my final decision yet. Things are positive with the Spanish federation, but I'll make a decision in the near future." His situation echoes that of other bi-national talents such as Real team-mate Diaz and Barcelona forward Yamal. Whereas 18-year-old Lamine opted for La Roja, Diaz opted to represent the Atlas Lions. Focus on the Future At present, his attention is on making his mark in the Real side and repaying his manager's belief. He featured for over an hour in the 2-1 victory at the Etihad, which completed a 5-1 aggregate success and a last-eight matchup with Bayern Munich. He was replaced by another academy player in Manuel Angel to emphasise the coach's confidence in younger players to help the club pursue future success. After his notable contributions to date on the Champions League, the midfielder is expected to play a key role in that. "Arbeloa treats me the same. We handle it very naturally. I attempt not to overanalyze it too much - I must deserve my minutes on the field," he commented following the success at Manchester.
Thiago Pitarch has played seven matches for Real Madrid, including five starts. When an teenage creates club a historic moment in a key European match against Manchester City, it naturally attracts praise and the spotlight. During his maiden start in the tournament - and fifth game for the team - Thiago Pitarch made a strong impression as the fifteen-time Champions League winners claimed a three-nil round of 16 first leg advantage at the Bernabeu. The teenager, who also had his club debut in the play-off round a month ago with a substitute appearance at Benfica, then assisted the Madrid side defeat the English champions in Tuesday's return to secure a quarter-final berth. At 18 years old, Pitarch was the team's youngest player to begin two matches in the Champions League's latter rounds, beating Brazil forward Vinicius Jr's record by a week and a half. A Meteoric Rise Through The Academy This talent is the most recent to emerge from the famed youth system and is quickly establishing himself as one of Alvaro Arbeloa's most exciting young players. He joined Real from CD Leganes in 2023, having previously been with Atletico Madrid and Getafe academies, and initially featuring for the under-19 side, where he rapidly created a positive impact. He worked his way up to the reserve side and it was in a friendly match in which they faced the senior squad, then coached by the former defender, where the teenager is said to have drawn the eye of the current Real boss, who replaced the previous coach in the new year. Spanish media would later describe the moment as "love at first sight," adding Pitarch stood out not only for his technical ability, but for the vitality, personality and drive he added to the team. 'His Greatest Quality Remains His Personality' In the summer of 2025, former boss Alonso called up Pitarch to train with the senior squad and gave him playing time in pre-season. However, it was Arbeloa's appointment that became the defining moment in his career as he was introduced as a late substitute in each leg against the Portuguese side that led to the clash with Pep Guardiola's team. "I have dreamed of this every night before going to bed, the first day I began playing the game, each day you go to train and each day you have a game," said the player following his first appearance. "I've just fulfilled my dream with the best team in the world and in the best competition." Handed a first start in the Spanish league against his former club - where he was for several seasons after moving from Atletico in 2018 - he has retained his spot for the next four as fitness issues to Bellingham and Ceballos created an opening. The teenager has seized it with performances that have defied his age and experience. "He is a very quick player, and you can observe what he's capable of," said Arbeloa. "He is incredibly energetic, with excellent endurance, work-rate and mobility." Pitarch's mentality has also impressed his manager. "His standout trait is his character," continued Arbeloa. "He constantly demands the possession, and when pressed, he remains unfazed. "I realize fans might be surprised to watch him start in a European fixture, but he's playing because I had complete confidence in him to do what he usually does. "He will continue to get chances with the first team. It is delightful to coach a talent like him." A Future International Decision Pitarch was born in Fuenlabrada, in the Madrid region, and was raised fully immersed in Spanish football, moving through youth setups before entering Real Madrid's renowned youth academy. He possesses both Spanish and Moroccan citizenship, offering him the choice to play for both nations at senior international level. According to Fifa eligibility rules, players may appear for different countries at youth level without being permanently tied, with the final decision only binding once they appear in a official full international. Pitarch has featured for the Spanish national team at youth level, representing both the U19 and U20 teams, and participated in the 2025 Fifa Under-20 World Cup, where Spain made it to the quarter-finals. Despite this, he has yet to commit to any senior national team, who are monitoring his progress with keen attention. In a recent interview, Pitarch said: "I haven't made my final decision yet. Things are positive with the Spanish federation, but I'll make a decision in the near future." His situation echoes that of other bi-national talents such as Real team-mate Diaz and Barcelona forward Yamal. Whereas 18-year-old Lamine opted for La Roja, Diaz opted to represent the Atlas Lions. Focus on the Future At present, his attention is on making his mark in the Real side and repaying his manager's belief. He featured for over an hour in the 2-1 victory at the Etihad, which completed a 5-1 aggregate success and a last-eight matchup with Bayern Munich. He was replaced by another academy player in Manuel Angel to emphasise the coach's confidence in younger players to help the club pursue future success. After his notable contributions to date on the Champions League, the midfielder is expected to play a key role in that. "Arbeloa treats me the same. We handle it very naturally. I attempt not to overanalyze it too much - I must deserve my minutes on the field," he commented following the success at Manchester.