Real Madrid News
Real Madrid come up with a plan to ensure teenage starlet gets regular minutes
Thiago Pitarch was one of Real Madrid’s standout players last season and was a revelation from the academy.
Given minutes under Alvaro Arbeloa, the player made a name for himself and earner s reputation as the club’s highest-rated homegrown midfield talent, and was even a regular starter at one point.
There was, thus, hope that his prominence would continue under Jose Mourinho. An untimely injury in preseason, however, derailed his plans and sidelined him for a crucial period.
Set to play for the subsidiary team
Now, as reported by AS (via Bernabeu Digital) in a recent update, Pitarch is close to making his first on-field appearance of the season this weekend.
However, it will not be in Real Madrid’s high-octane clash against Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid are planning for Pitarch to feature with the Juvenil A side in the Intercontinental U-20s this weekend in what will be his first appearance of the new season.
As far as his role in the first-team dynamics goes, Jose Mourinho has Pitarch in his plans, albeit not as a starter but as a useful rotational option.
As the season grows deeper and injuries begin to kick in, Pitarch may see a larger role on the side. Until then, playing for the Castilla and Juvenil A will be crucial to earn back his match fitness.
A new direct threat
Last season, Pitarch’s status as the club’s highest-rated midfield prospect was almost unchallenged, but that no longer remains the same.
Los Blancos brought in Sergio Martinez as a new signing from Racing Santander this summer, and he has been impressing in training.
Despite being registered with the subsidiary side, the player is said to be slowly working his way into the first-team dynamics, serving as a direct threat to Pitarch.
In fact, the manager is even open to handing him a first-team debut at the earliest.
A fascinating battle thus awaits us between the two Real Madrid midfield proteges.
One had the upper hand last, while one has won the manager’s admiration much more recently, and it remains to be seen which of the two players has what it takes to make it big at the club.
In a major update, AS reports that former Real Madrid midfielder and club legend Toni Kroos has taken his first step towards starting his coaching career.
The former Germany international has told the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that he is interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers.
Real Madrid tried to bring Kroos back
It is no secret that Real Madrid considered bringing Toni Kroos back into the club’s structure after the end of the last season.
The club president, Florentino Perez, had wanted Kroos to have a daily presence at Valdebebas rather than making occasional appearances after his retirement.
Jose Angel Sanchez and Kroos spoke after Perez expressed his desire to see the German working at Valdebebas every day. However, they did not find the right moment, time or structure to give his return a clear form.
A comeback remains one of the possibilities most desired by Madrid supporters because of Kroos’ charisma and what he represents at the Santiago Bernabeu. Neither side wanted him to return simply for the sake of it, so the door remains open for the future.
The relationship between the two parties is excellent, and both know that the opportunity to work together again will eventually come.
Taking it step by step
For now, Kroos continues to run the academy he established in Boadilla, enjoying the opportunity to help develop younger players.
After two years away from the competitive side of football, however, he is beginning to look towards the dugout as a possible next step in his career.
Kroos currently holds coaching qualifications that allow him to work up to the third tier of Spanish football.
This is possible because professionals with at least seven years of proven experience and significant involvement at the elite level can gain direct access to accelerated coaching courses.
That means Kroos could coach a team in Primera Federacion, but the German wants to take things gradually.
Kroos has already informed the RFEF that he would be interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers during the 2027/28 season.
The course taking place this season is not available to elite former players, with UEFA limiting each campaign to 20 places.
With his current qualifications, Kroos could work as an assistant coach, but he cannot yet take charge as a head coach in either the top flight or the Segunda División.
But completing that programme would allow Kroos to obtain the UEFA A licence, which would enable him to coach teams at any level.
