Real Madrid midfield prospect finds himself stuck in a strange situation at club | OneFootball

Thiago Pitarch’s name has been making quiet waves since the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

The 18-year-old midfielder, a promising product of La Fabrica, impressed during pre-season, including one against Austrian outfit Tirol. His performances hinted at a player ready to take the next big step.

Yet, as the competitive season has progressed, Pitarch’s story has taken a rather puzzling turn.

Despite being called up to Real Madrid’s senior squad on multiple occasions, he has not seen a single minute of playing time.

These constant first-team inclusions have also kept him away from Castilla, where his development time has been limited.

Strangely enough, the young midfielder has barely featured for the reserve side either, leading to a situation few could have anticipated.

More minutes for Spain than Real Madrid

Thiago Pitarch is yet to play for the senior Real Madrid team. (Photo Courtesy: Instagram/thiiaago_8)

Remarkably, as per MARCA, Pitarch has logged more minutes with the Spanish national setup than with Real Madrid this season.

For the Spanish U-20 side, Pitarch has become a regular, something that cannot yet be said about his time under Alvaro Arbeloa.

So far, the youngster has racked up 423 minutes for the national team across six matches, including two friendlies against France in September and four of Spain’s five games at the U-20 World Cup.

By contrast, he has played just 201 minutes for Real Madrid, all of them coming in three appearances for Castilla out of the nine matches the reserve side has played this term.

In short, Pitarch has featured twice as much for his country as for his club, which is a rare scenario for a player of his potential.

While his lack of minutes in the white shirt may raise questions, optimism remains. With his talent and growing international reputation, there is every chance that Pitarch will soon find his rhythm in Real Madrid colours as the season unfolds.