Real Madrid News
Real Madrid youngster faces uphill battle for minutes despite Jose Mourinho backing
One of the biggest revelations of Alvaro Arbeloa’s time at Real Madrid was the emergence of Thiago Pitarch as a first-team option.
The Castilla midfielder made the step up to the first team and immediately looked at home, adding a profile that Los Blancos desperately lacked.
He has been injured since the start of pre-season but is now finally available to fight for his place at Real Madrid.
According to AS, Thiago remains part of Madrid’s first-team plans despite being registered with the reserve side.
His performances last season, when he accumulated more than 800 first-team minutes, remain his strongest argument for receiving opportunities.
Thiago could offer Madrid something they need
Madrid’s midfield control has again become a talking point after the club ultimately failed to sign Rodri during the summer.
The issue was particularly noticeable against Inter Milan. Mourinho wanted Madrid to keep possession for longer and calm the game, but his team struggled to establish sustained control.
Thiago showed last season that he can operate in demanding situations. He became a regular under Alvaro Arbeloa and even started both Champions League last-16 matches against Manchester City before starting the first leg of the quarter-final against Bayern Munich.
His development was interrupted when an injury at the beginning of pre-season prevented him from properly introducing himself to Mourinho.
Mourinho believes he belongs in first team
The biggest problem now is competition.
Thiago’s natural position in Mourinho’s 4-2-3-1 is in the double pivot, where Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Bernardo Silva are already competing.
On paper, that leaves the youngster fifth in the hierarchy. Mourinho nevertheless made his opinion of Thiago’s potential clear.
“He is not a player to play at Castilla level. He is a first-team player and I like him a lot,” Mourinho said.
“He has qualities that I really like. When he is fit, he will be part of the group and, being part of the group, he will also get minutes. He has a lot of quality.”
Mourinho wants Thiago to develop physically
Mourinho did address one area of the game that the Castilla midfielder needs to work on, and he wants Thiago to become stronger.
“The only thing I tell him is that the muscles in his legs are like mine, and he needs to put a couple of kilos on them through work,” Mourinho explained.
For Madrid, Thiago should not be dismissed simply because four established midfielders currently stand ahead of him.
He has already handled Champions League pressure and shown he belongs at senior level. Now he needs fitness, physical development and patience.
If he can continue to impress in the limited opportunities he gets, Mourinho will undoubtedly make him a key part of his plans.
It remains to be seen how Thiago looks after returning from injury and whether he is ready to break into Madrid’s first-team midfield in the coming weeks.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid will ‘do everything’ to reduce Vinicius’ suspension despite growing Clasico doubts
Real Madrid have a selection dilemma ahead of the marquee clash against Barcelona, with Jose Mourinho likely having to name an XI without Vinicius Junior.
Los Blancos are preparing to fight for a reduced suspension for the Brazilian superstar, although they are reconciled to the fact that his availability for the Clasico is extremely unlikely.
According to Cadena COPE, Madrid expect the Brazilian to receive a three-match ban following his dismissal against Villarreal.
The club hope to reduce the punishment to two matches through an appeal, but even that outcome would leave him unavailable for the Clasico.
Madrid facing difficult battle over Vinicius suspension
Vinicius was sent off during Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Villarreal after pulling defender Nathan Saliba’s hair during an attacking move.
The incident was reviewed by VAR, resulting in a straight red card and the disallowing of a potential Madrid goal.
The referee’s report also described Vinicius’ reaction to the dismissal, raising concerns that his protests could increase his suspension.
Madrid face Sevilla before travelling to Barcelona on 25 October, meaning a suspension of two or more domestic matches would rule Vinicius out of both fixtures.
Although the final punishment remains subject to the disciplinary process, the club accept that overturning the situation completely will be extremely difficult.
Why Madrid still have reason to appeal
Reducing the punishment would remain worthwhile even if it does not save Vinicius’ Clasico participation.
A shorter suspension would allow Mourinho to recover the Brazilian sooner for subsequent league fixtures, limiting the longer-term damage to Madrid’s campaign.
Even if the red card is warranted, Madrid are well within their rights to argue the length of the punishment handed to him.
Regardless of the outcome, making an appeal is definitely worth the attempt if it helps reduce the number of games Vinicius could miss.
Mourinho must prepare for Barcelona without Vinicius
Madrid cannot allow uncertainty over the appeal to delay their tactical preparations.
Yan Diomande’s match-winning performance against Villarreal makes him an obvious candidate for a starting role, while Arda Guler could benefit from additional creative freedom.
Crucially, Mourinho must decide whether replacing Vinicius requires a direct positional change or the option of using Mbappe on the left with a more conventional No. 9.
Madrid have a huge task on their hands to stop the seemingly unstoppable Barça team, and Mourinho will have to get every decision right.
Los Blancos have the players to get the better of the Catalan giants, and it remains to be seen how they cope without Vinicius in the coming weeks.
