Real Madrid News
Official: Real Madrid squad list to face Girona – Mendy returns, Trent out
Real Madrid will be aiming to return to winning ways when they host Girona at the Santiago Bernabeu later tonight in a La Liga encounter.
Ahead of the match, Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa has announced the squad list of players available at his disposal for selection.
And, as expected, Ferland Mendy has returned to the squad, having recovered from his hamstring injury and received medical clearance. The French left-back is unlikely to start, but could get some minutes off the bench.
Meanwhile, fellow full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is absent from the list, likely rested with an eye on next week’s game against Bayern Munich. In his absence, Arbeloa has called up teenage prodigy Jesus Fortea as cover.
Antonio Rudiger and Alvaro Carreras are also rested. Rodrygo and Thibaut Courtois miss out through injuries, while Franco Mastantuono is suspended.
Thiago Pitarch continues to be a part of the first-team squad and has once again been joined by Castilla captain Manuel Angel, who was not called up for the Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.
Attacking prodigy Daniel Yanez also receives a call-up for Real Madrid’s clash against Girona.
📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados!
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 10, 2026
🆚 @GironaFC pic.twitter.com/tQi0kCUGzt
One of the biggest positives for Real Madrid from the last season was the breakthrough of young midfielder Thiago Pitarch.
The 19-year-old La Fabrica prospect had been in the first-team dynamics since pre-season under Xabi Alonso, but finally got his senior debut under Alvaro Arbeloa at the turn of the year.
From that moment on, Pitarch did not look back at all, gaining prominence in the team and even starting important matches ahead of established players like Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos.
However, things have not gone as per plans for the teenager this season as he has yet to play a single minute of first-team football.
January loan no longer ruled out
As such, Diario AS now reports that Pitarch would consider leaving Real Madrid on loan during the January transfer window if his situation does not improve.
The teenage midfielder suffered an injury in pre-season which kept him sidelined for a few weeks, denying him an opportunity to start the season under Jose Mourinho.
By the time he returned, the Portuguese tactician had already identified his preferred hierarchy in midfield, with the likes of Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Aurelien Tchouameni and Camavinga firmly ahead in the pecking order.
A stark difference from his debut season
In his debut season, Pitarch ended with 16 first-team appearances for Real Madrid with two assists to his name.
In contrast, this term, the academy graduate has been called up to the matchday squad for five games by Mourinho this term, but has yet to play a single minute of football.
Given the situation, he used the international break to jump down to Castilla and play close to 250 minutes across three games, during which he also registered an assist.
The situation is far from ideal for a young talent who needs regular minutes to continue his development and build on his impressive breakthrough campaign.
As such, the possibility of a departure on loan in January could be considered, after Pitarch turned down offers in the summer to stay at Real Madrid.
A lot will depend on how things evolve in the next couple of months, but a temporary exit cannot be ruled out.
