Real Madrid have a lot of work to do in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday night against Bayern Munich. They are down 2-1 on aggregate after goals from Luis Diaz and Harry Kane and a full afternoon of wonder saves by Manuel Neuer, who often serves up his best performances for the European Clasico rivals on Champions League knockout nights.
Los Blancos were night and day in the second half, though, once Jude Bellingham entered the pitch for Madrid. He was there for the moment, as he always is, in a big match. Meanwhile, the young Thiago Pitarch was finally exposed. A gem in the making, Pitarch's running and covering had been crucial, even against Manchester City in the Round of 16, but he made costly errors and was overrun badly by the more experienced Bayern Muencheners.
Obviously, now that Bellingham is fully recovered, healthy, and ready to start, he will be in the XI for Alvaro Arbeloa against Bayern on Wednesday at the Allianz Arena. He and Fede Valverde are the two most important starters for Real Madrid in midfield - the elite athletes and leaders who always rise to the occasion in the Champions League.
Alvaro Arbeloa believes in Thiago Pitarch
According to reliable journalist Jose Luis Sanchez speaking on El Chiringuito, Arbeloa has chosen the midfield quartet he wants to start for Real Madrid to turn the tide of the second leg deficit against Bayern Munich on the road.
In addition to the obvious of Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde, Alvaro Arbeloa wants to start the talented young playmaker Arda Guler, who has been creating a bevy of chances this season - more than any other player in the Champions League this current campaign with 35.
But he also wants to start Thiago Pitarch over Aurelien Tchouameni as the defensive midfielder, making him the shielding pivot for the back line. These four players would presumably create a diamond with Pitarch in the 6 and Guler in the 10, with Jude on the left and Fede on the right shuttling up and down the pitch to create, win the ball, and even score.
It is hard to argue that three of these four are the best midfield for Real Madrid, but many fans will question Tchouameni being benched for Pitarch. When Pitarch is good, he is a huge credit to the team and even better at defending spaces than the sometimes oblivious Tchou. But when he struggles, he shows his youth, as he did last week. The midfield lineup proposed looks great, but Real will be concerned about Thiago until the day he proves his composure against the elite like Bayern. But props to Arbeloa for wanting to believe.