đź”— Share this article The Reason Real Madrid Possess 'Total Trust' in Youngster Pitarch The teenager has featured in seven matches for Real Madrid, including five starts. Whenever a teenage makes club a historic moment in a crucial European match against Manchester City, it naturally attracts praise and attention. In only his maiden start in the tournament - and fifth appearance for the team - the young midfielder suitably impressed as the fifteen-time Champions League winners claimed a three-nil last-16 first leg advantage at the Santiago Bernabeu. The young player, who also made his club debut in the play-off round a month ago with a cameo off the bench at Benfica, then helped the Madrid side overcome the English champions in Tuesday's return to confirm a quarter-final berth. At 18 years old, the midfielder was the club's most youthful starter to begin two matches in the Champions League knockout stages, surpassing star Vini Jr's previous mark by 10 days. A Meteoric Rise From La Fabrica The midfielder is the most recent to come through from the famed youth system and is quickly establishing himself as one of Alvaro Arbeloa's most promising protegees. He joined Real from Leganes in the summer of 2023, having formerly spent time at Atletico and Getafe's academies, and starting out for the under-19 side, where he quickly made a strong impression. Pitarch progressed to the reserve side and it was in a pre-season game in which they played against the senior squad, then managed by the former defender, where the teenager is said to have caught the attention of the present manager, who replaced the previous coach in January. Reports would later label the moment as "an instant connection," adding he stood out not only for his technical ability, but for the vitality, personality and drive he added to the side. 'His Best Attribute Remains His Personality' During the summer of 2025, ex-manager Alonso called up the youngster to train with the first team and awarded him minutes during pre-season. Yet, it was Arbeloa's appointment that proved the turning point in his development as he was introduced as a second-half replacement in each leg against the Portuguese side that set up the meeting with Manchester City. "I have dreamed of this every night before going to bed, the first day I began playing football, every day you go to train and every day you play a match," stated the player after his first appearance. "I have just achieved my ambition with the best team in the planet and in the best competition." Given a first start in the Spanish league against his former club - where he spent four years after arriving from Atleti in 2018 - he has kept his place for the following four as injuries to Jude Bellingham and Dani Ceballos created an opening. Pitarch has seized it with performances that have belied his youth and experience. "He's a extremely fast footballer, and you can see his capabilities," said Arbeloa. "He's incredibly dynamic, with excellent endurance, effort and mobility." The player's mindset has also impressed his manager. "His standout trait is his personality," continued he. "He always wants the ball, and when pressed, he doesn't feel it. "I understand people are surprised to watch him start in a European fixture, but he is selected because I had total trust in him to perform his normal game. "He will keep receiving opportunities with the first team. It's a pleasure to have a talent like him." Spain or Morocco? Born in a Madrid suburb, in the Madrid region, and was raised fully immersed in Spanish football, progressing through youth setups before entering the club's famous La Fabrica system. He possesses both Spanish and Moroccan citizenship, giving him the choice to play for either country at senior international level. Under Fifa eligibility rules, footballers may represent multiple nations at youth level without being locked in, with the final decision only final once they play in a competitive senior international match. He has featured for the Spanish national team at underage levels, turning out for both the under-19 and under-20 sides, 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 full national side, who are monitoring his rise with keen attention. Speaking recently, the player said: "I have not taken my final decision yet. My situation is great with the Spanish federation, but I will reach a conclusion in the near future." His situation echoes that of other bi-national talents such as Real team-mate Brahim Diaz and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal. While 18-year-old Lamine opted for La Roja, Brahim decided to play for Morocco. Eyes on the Prize At present, his attention is on establishing himself in the Madrid lineup and repaying his manager's belief. He featured for over an hour in the two-one win at City, which completed a 5-1 overall triumph and a quarter-final matchup with Bayern Munich. He was replaced by fellow youth graduate in Manuel Angel to emphasise Arbeloa's trust in younger players to aid the team pursue trophies to come. Following his notable contributions to date on the Champions League, the midfielder is tipped to play a key role in that. "Arbeloa treats me the same. We deal with it very naturally. I try not to think about it too much - I must deserve my playing time on the pitch," he commented following the success at Etihad Stadium.
The teenager has featured in seven matches for Real Madrid, including five starts. Whenever a teenage makes club a historic moment in a crucial European match against Manchester City, it naturally attracts praise and attention. In only his maiden start in the tournament - and fifth appearance for the team - the young midfielder suitably impressed as the fifteen-time Champions League winners claimed a three-nil last-16 first leg advantage at the Santiago Bernabeu. The young player, who also made his club debut in the play-off round a month ago with a cameo off the bench at Benfica, then helped the Madrid side overcome the English champions in Tuesday's return to confirm a quarter-final berth. At 18 years old, the midfielder was the club's most youthful starter to begin two matches in the Champions League knockout stages, surpassing star Vini Jr's previous mark by 10 days. A Meteoric Rise From La Fabrica The midfielder is the most recent to come through from the famed youth system and is quickly establishing himself as one of Alvaro Arbeloa's most promising protegees. He joined Real from Leganes in the summer of 2023, having formerly spent time at Atletico and Getafe's academies, and starting out for the under-19 side, where he quickly made a strong impression. Pitarch progressed to the reserve side and it was in a pre-season game in which they played against the senior squad, then managed by the former defender, where the teenager is said to have caught the attention of the present manager, who replaced the previous coach in January. Reports would later label the moment as "an instant connection," adding he stood out not only for his technical ability, but for the vitality, personality and drive he added to the side. 'His Best Attribute Remains His Personality' During the summer of 2025, ex-manager Alonso called up the youngster to train with the first team and awarded him minutes during pre-season. Yet, it was Arbeloa's appointment that proved the turning point in his development as he was introduced as a second-half replacement in each leg against the Portuguese side that set up the meeting with Manchester City. "I have dreamed of this every night before going to bed, the first day I began playing football, every day you go to train and every day you play a match," stated the player after his first appearance. "I have just achieved my ambition with the best team in the planet and in the best competition." Given a first start in the Spanish league against his former club - where he spent four years after arriving from Atleti in 2018 - he has kept his place for the following four as injuries to Jude Bellingham and Dani Ceballos created an opening. Pitarch has seized it with performances that have belied his youth and experience. "He's a extremely fast footballer, and you can see his capabilities," said Arbeloa. "He's incredibly dynamic, with excellent endurance, effort and mobility." The player's mindset has also impressed his manager. "His standout trait is his personality," continued he. "He always wants the ball, and when pressed, he doesn't feel it. "I understand people are surprised to watch him start in a European fixture, but he is selected because I had total trust in him to perform his normal game. "He will keep receiving opportunities with the first team. It's a pleasure to have a talent like him." Spain or Morocco? Born in a Madrid suburb, in the Madrid region, and was raised fully immersed in Spanish football, progressing through youth setups before entering the club's famous La Fabrica system. He possesses both Spanish and Moroccan citizenship, giving him the choice to play for either country at senior international level. Under Fifa eligibility rules, footballers may represent multiple nations at youth level without being locked in, with the final decision only final once they play in a competitive senior international match. He has featured for the Spanish national team at underage levels, turning out for both the under-19 and under-20 sides, 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 full national side, who are monitoring his rise with keen attention. Speaking recently, the player said: "I have not taken my final decision yet. My situation is great with the Spanish federation, but I will reach a conclusion in the near future." His situation echoes that of other bi-national talents such as Real team-mate Brahim Diaz and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal. While 18-year-old Lamine opted for La Roja, Brahim decided to play for Morocco. Eyes on the Prize At present, his attention is on establishing himself in the Madrid lineup and repaying his manager's belief. He featured for over an hour in the two-one win at City, which completed a 5-1 overall triumph and a quarter-final matchup with Bayern Munich. He was replaced by fellow youth graduate in Manuel Angel to emphasise Arbeloa's trust in younger players to aid the team pursue trophies to come. Following his notable contributions to date on the Champions League, the midfielder is tipped to play a key role in that. "Arbeloa treats me the same. We deal with it very naturally. I try not to think about it too much - I must deserve my playing time on the pitch," he commented following the success at Etihad Stadium.