The Reason Los Blancos Have 'Utter Confidence' in Teenager Pitarch

When an teenage makes club history in a key European tie against Manchester City, it naturally attracts praise and the spotlight.

In only his maiden start in the competition - and fifth game for the team - Thiago Pitarch suitably impressed as the 15-time Champions League winners claimed a three-nil round of 16 first leg advantage at the Bernabeu.

The teenager, who also had his Real debut in the play-off round a few weeks prior with a substitute appearance at Sporting Lisbon, then assisted Los Blancos defeat the English Premier League side in Tuesday's return to secure a last eight place.

At 18 years old, the midfielder was the club's youngest player to begin two matches in the Champions League's latter rounds, beating star Vini Jr's previous mark by 10 days.

A Meteoric Rise From The Academy

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

He progressed to the reserve side and it was in a friendly match in which they played against the senior squad, then coached by Arbeloa, where the youngster is said to have caught the attention of the current Real boss, who took over from the previous coach in the new year.

Reports would later describe the moment as "an instant connection," adding Pitarch stood out not only for his skill on the ball, but for the energy, character and drive he brought to the team.

'His Greatest Quality Is His Character'

In the pre-season of 2025, former boss Alonso invited Pitarch to train with the senior squad and awarded him minutes during pre-season.

However, it was Arbeloa's appointment that proved the defining moment in his career as he was introduced as a second-half replacement in each leg against Benfica that led to the clash with Manchester City.

"I've dreamed of this each night before going to bed, the first day I began playing football, every day you go to train and every day you have a game," said the player following his debut.

"I have just fulfilled my ambition with the greatest club in the planet and in the best competition."

Handed a starting debut in La Liga against his former club - where he spent several seasons after moving from Atleti in 2018 - he has retained his spot for the next four as fitness issues to Jude Bellingham and Ceballos created an opportunity.

The teenager has seized it with performances that have defied his age and experience.

"He's a very quick footballer, and you can observe his capabilities," remarked Arbeloa. "He is incredibly energetic, with excellent stamina, work-rate and movement."

The player's mindset has also stood out to his coach.

"His greatest quality is his personality," continued he. "He constantly demands the ball, and even under pressure, he doesn't feel it.

"I realize fans might be surprised to watch him start in a European fixture, but he is selected because I had complete confidence in him to perform what he usually does.

"He will continue to get chances with the first team. It is delightful to have a player like him."

Spain or Morocco?

Born in a Madrid suburb, in the Spanish capital's community, and was raised deeply involved in Spanish football, moving through local academies before joining Real Madrid's renowned La Fabrica system.

He holds dual Spanish and Moroccan nationality, giving him the choice to represent either country at senior international level.

According to Fifa eligibility rules, footballers may represent different countries at junior level without being locked in, with the final decision only binding once they play in a official full international.

Pitarch has featured for Spain at underage levels, turning out for both the U19 and U20 sides, and participated in the 2025 Youth World Cup, where La Roja made it to the quarter-finals.

Despite this, he has yet to commit to either full national side, who are monitoring his rise with keen attention.

In a recent interview, Pitarch confirmed: "I have not taken my final decision yet. My situation is great with the Spanish federation, but I will reach a conclusion soon."

This scenario mirrors that of other dual nationality players such as Real team-mate Brahim Diaz and Barca star Yamal. Whereas teenage Yamal opted for La Roja, Brahim opted to represent the Atlas Lions.

Focus on the Future

For now, Pitarch's focus is on establishing himself in the Madrid lineup and rewarding Arbeloa's faith.

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.

His substitution by another academy player in Angel underscored Arbeloa's trust in the next generation to help the team pursue future success.

Following his impressive impact to date on the Champions League, Pitarch is tipped to play a key role in that.

"Arbeloa treats me the same. We deal with it very naturally. I attempt not to think about it too much - I must earn my playing time on the field," he said after the win at Manchester.