Why Los Blancos Have 'Total Faith' in Teenager Pitarch

When an teenage creates Real Madrid a historic moment in a crucial European match against City, it inevitably draws praise and the spotlight.

In only his first start in the tournament - and fifth appearance for the club - Thiago Pitarch made a strong impression as the 15-time European champions claimed a three-nil last-16 first leg lead at the Bernabeu.

The teenager, who also had his club debut in the qualifying round a few weeks prior with a cameo off the bench at Sporting Lisbon, then helped Los Blancos overcome the English champions in Tuesday's second leg to secure a last eight place.

At 18 years old, Pitarch was the club's most youthful starter to start twice in the Champions League's latter rounds, surpassing 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 young players.

He joined Madrid from Leganes in the summer of 2023, having formerly spent time at Atletico and Getafe's youth teams, and initially featuring for the Juvenil C team, where he quickly made a strong impression.

He worked his way up to the B team and it was during a pre-season game in which they faced the academy's first team, 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 January.

Spanish media would later label the moment as "an instant connection," noting Pitarch excelled not only for his technical ability, but for the energy, character and drive he added to the team.

'His Greatest Quality Is His Character'

In the pre-season of 2025, former boss Xabi Alonso called up the youngster to train with the first team and gave him playing time during pre-season.

However, it was Arbeloa's appointment that became the turning point in his development as he came on as a second-half replacement in both ties against Benfica that led to the meeting with Manchester City.

"I've dreamed of this each night before going to bed, the very first time I began playing football, every day you head to training and every day you have a game," said the player after his debut.

"I have just fulfilled my dream with the best team in the planet and in the best competition."

Handed a first start in La Liga against his former club - where he spent several seasons after moving from Atletico in 2018 - he has retained his place for the following four as injuries to Jude Bellingham and Ceballos created an opening.

Pitarch has taken it with displays that have defied his age and experience.

"He is a extremely fast player, and you can see his capabilities," said Arbeloa. "He is incredibly energetic, with great stamina, work-rate and movement."

Pitarch's mentality has also stood out to his manager.

"His standout trait is his personality," added Arbeloa. "He constantly demands the ball, and when pressed, he doesn't feel it.

"I understand people are surprised to watch him start in a Champions League match, but he is selected because I had complete confidence in him to perform what he usually does.

"Thiago will keep receiving opportunities with the main squad. It's a pleasure to coach a player like him."

A Future International Decision

Pitarch was born in a Madrid suburb, in the Spanish capital's community, and was raised fully immersed in Spanish football, progressing through youth setups before entering Real Madrid's famous youth academy.

He holds both Spanish and Moroccan citizenship, offering him the option to represent both nations at the highest level.

Under Fifa eligibility rules, players may appear for multiple nations at junior level without being permanently tied, with the ultimate choice only final once they play in a competitive senior international match.

Pitarch has played for the Spanish national team at underage levels, turning out for both the under-19 and under-20 sides, and participated in the 2025 Youth World Cup, where La Roja made it to the last eight.

Despite this, he has not yet decided to any 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 positive with the Spanish federation, but I'll make a decision soon."

This scenario mirrors that of other bi-national players such as Real team-mate Diaz and Barcelona forward Yamal. Whereas teenage Lamine opted for Spain, Diaz decided to represent the Atlas Lions.

Focus on the Future

For now, his attention is on establishing himself in the Madrid lineup and rewarding his manager's belief.

He played over an hour in the 2-1 win at the Etihad, which sealed a 5-1 overall triumph and a last-eight tie with Bayern Munich.

His substitution by fellow youth graduate in Manuel Angel to emphasise Arbeloa's trust in the next generation to help the club pursue trophies to come.

After his notable contributions so far on the Champions League, Pitarch is tipped to play a key role in that.

"The manager handles me the identical way. We deal with it very normally. I try not to think about it too much - I have to earn my minutes on the field," he said following the win at Manchester.