Ever since his retirement following the 23/24 season, Real Madrid have been on a wild goose chase looking for their perfect Toni Kroos replacement. The club has drawn up a long list of expensive transfer targets ahead of the summer transfer window, but the club might already have the perfect replacement already in the team.
18-year-old midfielder Thiago Pitarch has been getting a run in the team in the recent weeks, with Arbeloa opting to trust his former Castilla player in the senior team, and the youngster is proving that the manager made the right call and looks like the kind of player with incredible success on his horizon.
Thiago Pitarch shining
Pitarch made his official senior team debut in the playoff round matchup against Benfica, only playing six minutes across the two legs as a late-game substitute. He got more minutes in Real's 1-0 loss to Getafe before Arbeloa saw enough and knew he had what it takes to be a starter. He played the full 90 in Real's 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo, following it up with a masterclass against Manchester City.
The 18-year-old ran and ran and ran popping up everywhere on the pitch, putting in a performance his predecessors would be proud of. It was the kind of performance we used to see from the likes of Kroos and Modric, incredible passing, tough defending, and endless running, doing whatever it took to win.
Pitarch even made Real Madrid history against Manchester City, becoming the youngest Spanish player to ever start a Champions League knockout stage game for Real Madrid, a record that was held by Raul since 1996. Arbeloa trusted his youngster on the biggest stage this week and was rewarded for his gamble in the best possible way. The midfielder made one mistake in the game that almost led to a goal for Manchester City, but Thibaut Courtois was there to save the day, and at the end of the day, he's 18, a mistake is bound to happen.
This impressive performace surely signals more starts for Pitarch down the road. He looked at home under the brightest lights, and partnering the 18-year-old with established players like Aurelien Tchouameni and Fede Valverde not only helps his development, but created a solid midfield trio, which is exactly what Real have been searching for this whole time.