Real Madrid starlet handed senior debut vs Benfica | OneFootball

An up-and-coming member of the midfield ranks at La Liga giants Real Madrid was afforded a first-ever senior appearance for the club on Tuesday.

The player in question? Thiago Pitarch.

Real Madrid are of course fresh off an important outing on the continent, which saw Los Blancos make the trip to Lisbon for a Champions League meeting with Benfica.

When all was said and done, the visitors emerged on the right side of a 1-0 result, securing a crucial advantage to take back to Spain’s capital.

And as alluded to above, for one member of Álvaro Arbeloa’s troops, the fixture represented a particularly special one.

Late in proceedings in Portugal, youngster Thiago Pitarch was a surprise introduction to the fray off the bench.

This marked the 18-year-old’s senior debut, amid sky-high expectations when it comes to Pitarch’s future in the colours of Real Madrid.

And despite the hostile atmosphere inside the Estádio da Luz, the young midfielder held his own, looking impressively comfortable on the ball.

Conor Laird – GSFN