Real Madrid News
Real Madrid youngster earns glowing praise from national team coach: ‘Managing him is very easy’
Thiago Pitarch continues to strengthen his reputation as one of Real Madrid’s most promising young midfielders.
One of Alvaro Arbeloa’s finds during his time as Madrid manager, Pitarch is yet to enjoy significant first-team minutes this season.
Spain Under-21 assistant coach Julian Lopez de Lerma has now highlighted the mentality behind his rapid progress.
Spain coach praises Pitarch mentality
Speaking to El Chiringuito’s Marcos Benito, Lopez de Lerma explained that the Madrid youngster requires very little motivation from the coaching staff because of the intensity with which he approaches every opportunity.
“I didn’t have to demand anything from him. I knew he was going to approach this match as if it were his last,” Lopez de Lerma said.
“Managing Thiago is very easy.”
These are encouraging words about the young Spaniard because they highlight more than his technical ability.
Young players attempting to establish themselves at the Bernabeu rarely suffer from a lack of talent. The bigger challenge is proving they can handle expectations in the limited opportunities they may receive.
Pitarch appears to understand that already.
Mourinho has shown faith in the youngster
The midfielder’s development has accelerated considerably over the past year, with Pitarch increasingly becoming part of the senior picture at Madrid.
Jose Mourinho has already made his confidence in the youngster clear, treating him as a genuine first-team option despite the considerable competition for places in midfield.
The Portuguese tactician loves players who have an elite mentality, and it looks like Pitarch has what it takes to impress him.
A player who approaches every appearance as though another opportunity might never arrive is exactly the type of academy talent capable of surviving the demands of Madrid’s first team.
There will inevitably be difficult decisions over Pitarch’s minutes. Madrid possess enormous midfield depth, and development requires more than simply being included in senior squads.
However, at his current age, Pitarch will also learn a lot simply by being around Mourinho and the first-team midfielders.
If there is one academy prospect who looks set for a significant first-team career at the Bernabeu, it is Pitarch, and it remains to be seen how he develops.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid resolve their pitch problems as the Bernabeu surface returns to good condition
After years of problems with the pitch, Real Madrid now believe that those issues are now a thing of the past, reports MARCA.
For several seasons, the playing surface at the Santiago Bernabeu had become one of Real Madrid’s biggest headaches. Five pitch changes in a single season, paint used to disguise its poor appearance on television and criticism from all sides.
The club had been trying to solve the problem for some time and now, they believe they have finally found an answer.
The Bernabeu begins to put its turf problems behind it
The latest operation was accelerated following the NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Commanders, forcing the club to replace the playing surface in just 72 hours to meet the deadline last season. This time, however, there was an important difference.
After establishing that the underlying structure was in good condition, Real Madrid decided to retain the existing turf panels and hybrid stitching system rather than remove everything and start again.
The new grass was installed over the existing base after being cultivated for several months. The variety selected was RyeBlue Deportivo, a high-performance mixture consisting of 50% perennial ryegrass and 50% Poa pratensis.
Real Madrid hoped the combination would provide a definitive solution. The club’s groundskeeping team has since refined the maintenance process, and the results are encouraging.
The Bernabeu is now in a condition that satisfies the club, and there are no plans to make further changes to the playing surface during the season.
It is the outcome Real Madrid have been pursuing for years, following a situation that eventually concerned the players themselves.
Major concerts remain the Bernabeu’s outstanding challenge
While the pitch problem appears to have been brought under control, the return of major concerts remains the Bernabeu’s biggest unresolved issue.
Real Madrid have spent months working to address the noise problems that forced them to suspend large-scale concerts.
The work has included soundproofing improvements and other measures designed to prevent noise from escaping the stadium. However, there is still no confirmed date for the return of major events.
Real Madrid believe the work carried out has brought the stadium closer to an optimal level of sound insulation.
Several areas have been reinforced to reduce noise escaping outside, with particular attention paid to entrances, enclosures and other points through which sound waves could travel.
The structural soundproofing work is understood to be nearing completion, with final architectural finishing work and official sound-emission tests still outstanding.
In the meantime, Real Madrid are exploring ways to make a return to large-scale events more feasible.
The aim is to make full use of the improvements already completed and establish a model that allows the club to revive an activity that was one of the major commercial attractions of the renovated stadium.
Until that becomes possible, Real Madrid continue to explore other ways of generating revenue from the Bernabeu. Corporate events, award ceremonies, conferences and private celebrations remain among the alternatives.
For Real Madrid, resolving the pitch issue is a significant step forward. Restoring large-scale entertainment to the Bernabeu remains the next major objective.
