Arbeloa's Castilla reset for Thiago Pitarch after Xabi's peculiar treatment
New Real Madrid boss Álvaro Arbeloa has sent wonderkid Thiago Pitarch back to Castilla after 40 days without minutes under Xabi Alonso's first team setup.
Young midfield sensation Thiago Pitarch returns to Castilla as Arbeloa prioritizes playing time over bench-warming in the first team.
When Álvaro Arbeloa named seven academy players in his first Real Madrid squad for the Copa del Rey clash with Albacete, one name was conspicuously absent - 18-year-old Thiago Pitarch.
The Invisible Man
Pitarch had become something of a phantom figure under previous boss Xabi Alonso, receiving an impressive 10 first-team call-ups without playing a single minute. The talented midfielder spent 40 days with the senior squad but remained glued to the bench, a situation that reportedly raised eyebrows within the club’s hierarchy.
In what appears to be a sensible change of approach, Arbeloa has sent the youngster back to Castilla, prioritizing actual playing time over theoretical proximity to the first team.
Arbeloa’s Masterplan
This isn’t a case of Arbeloa not fancying the player - quite the opposite. Few understand Pitarch’s potential better than the new gaffer, who:
- Personally oversaw Pitarch’s development with the Juvenil A team last season
- Made the decision to promote him to Castilla
- Considers him a personal discovery
Rather than continuing the peculiar situation that developed under Alonso, Arbeloa wants Pitarch playing regular football. The midfielder has only managed 12 appearances from a possible 23 with Castilla this season (825 minutes total), plus another 110 minutes with Real Madrid C.
Back in Business
Pitarch has already returned to training under Julián López de Lerma and is set to feature for Castilla against Mérida this Sunday - his first appearance for the reserve side since December 7th against Zamora.
Arbeloa’s plan appears straightforward: let Pitarch develop properly at Castilla, bring him into first-team training occasionally to monitor progress, and only include him in matchday squads when he genuinely intends to use him.
The new boss also recognizes the existing hierarchy, with players like Palacios and Manuel Ángel currently ahead in the pecking order and deserving their opportunity with the first team.
For a talent that many consider one of La Fábrica’s brightest prospects, getting regular minutes seems a proper result rather than collecting designer tracksuits on the first-team bench.