Alvaro Arbeloa’s tenure as Real Madrid manager will come to an end in a few weeks, when the 2025/26 season comes to an end.
Considering the current state of the dressing room and the fact that the team is once again without a trophy, the short tenure will likely be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
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One of the few positives from his time, though, has been the opportunities he’s provided to youngsters from the academy, particularly Thiago Pitacci, who has benefited greatly from regular first-team minutes.
Arbeloa firmly supports Thiago
Now, according to Marca , Arbeloa is firmly standing by his decision to trust and support Thiago in the first team, although some in the hierarchy may not be happy with the situation.
Thiago has become Arbeloa’s biggest bet. Youth players represent the face of the change that the coach is trying to bring to the team.
It was a controversial decision that directly clashed with some views at the top of the club. Indeed, Thiago’s prominence did not please everyone at the club, especially since it came at the expense of first-team players like Eduardo Camavinga.
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Arbeloa, however, remained firm and courageous in defending his decision. It’s not easy to trust a youth player in difficult times, but the coach believes Real Madrid will be more competitive with Thiago in the squad.
The commitment to Thiago also sends a message: “If a kid runs, everyone else has to run too.” After all, one thing academy players never lack is effort, intensity and dedication on the pitch.
Thiago returns the trust
Arbeloa’s biggest gamble. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Thiago defended Arbeloa in his own way. Aside from some glaring mistakes associated with his youth, the academy product has put in an impressive performance.
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He shows personality while also being dynamic, mobile and aggressive. These qualities also lead to positive outcomes. In fact, in his nine starts, Real Madrid only lost when he left the pitch twice.
Arbeloa has always had clear plans for Thiago. Initially, he protected the youngster once he broke into the first team, sending him back to Castilla to regain lost playing time.
The midfielder has trained under Xabi Alonso for 40 consecutive days without playing a single minute, so Arbeloa’s first goal is to get the reserve team back into rhythm.
After this period, Thiago returned to the first team and played an important role. He has accumulated valuable playing time in high-pressure games and has significantly increased his market value, currently estimated at €20 million.
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Although his appearances were slightly reduced in mid-April and he even briefly returned to play for Castilla, the academy gem has regained a starting spot in the last two games against them and is expected to remain relevant until the end of the season.