The Reason Los Blancos Possess 'Total Faith' in Teenager Pitarch

When an teenage makes club history in a pivotal European match against City, it inevitably draws acclaim and the spotlight.

During his first start in the tournament - and fifth appearance for the club - the young midfielder made a strong impression as the 15-time Champions League winners secured a three-nil last-16 first-leg lead at the Bernabeu.

The teenager, who also had his club debut in the play-off round a month ago with a substitute appearance at Sporting Lisbon, then assisted Los Blancos overcome the English champions in Tuesday's return to secure a quarter-final berth.

Aged 18 years and 226 days, Pitarch was the team's youngest player to begin two matches in the Champions League knockout stages, beating star Vini Jr's previous mark by a week and a half.

A Meteoric Rise Through La Fabrica

This talent is the most recent to come through from the club's academy and is quickly establishing himself as one of Alvaro Arbeloa's most exciting young players.

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

Pitarch progressed to the B team and it was in a pre-season game in which they played against the senior squad, then managed by Arbeloa, where the youngster is said to have drawn the eye of the current Real boss, who took over from Xabi Alonso in the new year.

Spanish media would later label the moment as "love at first sight," noting he stood out not only for his technical ability, but for the vitality, personality and drive he brought to the team.

'His Best Attribute Is His Personality'

During the summer of 2025, former boss Alonso invited Pitarch to practice with the first team and gave him minutes during pre-season.

However, it was Arbeloa's appointment that proved the turning point in his career as he was introduced as a late substitute in both ties against Benfica that set up the meeting with Manchester City.

"I've dreamed of this each night before going to bed, the first day I started playing the game, each day you head to training and every day you play a match," said Pitarch following his first appearance.

"I've 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 Getafe - where he spent four years after arriving from Atletico in 2018 - he has kept his spot for the next four as fitness issues to Jude Bellingham and Ceballos provided an opportunity.

The teenager has seized it with performances that have belied his age and inexperience.

"He's a extremely fast player, and you can observe what he's capable of," remarked Arbeloa. "He's extremely dynamic, with great stamina, work-rate and movement."

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

"His greatest quality is his personality," continued Arbeloa. "He constantly demands the ball, and when pressed, he doesn't feel it.

"I understand people are astonished to see him make his debut in a Champions League match, but he is selected because I had total trust in him to perform his normal game.

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

Spain or Morocco?

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 dual Moroccan and Spanish citizenship, offering him the option to play for either country at senior international level.

According to Fifa eligibility rules, players may appear for multiple nations at youth level without being permanently tied, with the ultimate choice only binding once they appear in a official senior international match.

Pitarch has played for Spain at underage levels, turning out for both the under-19 and under-20 sides, and took part in the 2025 Fifa Under-20 World Cup, where Spain made it to the quarter-finals.

Nevertheless, he has not yet decided to any senior national team, who are watching his progress with keen attention.

Speaking recently, the player confirmed: "I haven't made my final decision so far. My situation is positive with the Spanish federation, but I'll make a conclusion soon."

His situation echoes that of other bi-national players such as club colleague Brahim Diaz and Barca star Lamine Yamal. Whereas 18-year-old Yamal opted for Spain, Brahim decided to play for Morocco.

Focus on the Future

At present, Pitarch's focus is on making his mark in the Real side and repaying his manager's belief.

He featured for over an hour in the two-one victory at the Etihad, which completed a 5-1 overall triumph and a quarter-final tie with Bayern Munich.

His substitution by another academy player in Angel to emphasise Arbeloa's trust in younger players to help the club chase trophies to come.

After his impressive impact to date on the Champions League, the midfielder is tipped to be a central figure in that.

"The manager treats 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 commented after the win at Etihad Stadium.