Real Madrid's Midfield Dilemma: The Case of Thiago Pitarch
Real Madrid spent the summer circling the same doubt: did they really have enough in midfield?
They knew the answer might be no. That’s why they went after Rodri. The pursuit was serious, the talks advanced, and then the move fell apart. No new anchor arrived. Instead, Madrid doubled down on what they had and dragged Bernardo Silva a few metres deeper, turning the former City playmaker into something closer to a central midfielder in white.
The season has started, and the old questions are back on the table.
Old problem, new season
Spanish newspaper AS summed it up bluntly: the same structural issues have resurfaced. The Inter match put them under a harsh spotlight. Madrid never really gripped the game, never dictated the rhythm, never imposed their supposed superiority in the middle of the pitch.
Fede Valverde admitted afterwards that José Mourinho had been on at his players from the touchline, asking them to keep the ball, to calm the tempo, to suffocate Inter with possession. It simply didn’t happen. Inter played, Madrid chased.
This isn’t a sudden crisis. It’s a hangover.
The unexpected fix: Thiago Pitarch
Last season, when Madrid’s midfield began to fray, the solution came from nowhere. From Castilla, to be precise.
Thiago Pitarch, then still officially a reserve-team player, forced the door open. Arbeloa, dealing with a growing list of problems, leaned on the youngster and found a surprise answer. Pitarch didn’t just make up the numbers; he played more than 800 minutes, started both legs against City in the Champions League round of 16 and the first leg of the quarter-final against Bayern. High-stakes nights, and he didn’t blink.
The shirt didn’t weigh on him. It seemed to fit.
This season, though, his situation has turned cloudy.
Stuck between squads
A move away was discussed. There were real chances for him to leave in search of minutes and continuity. Then came an injury at the very start of pre-season. That knocked out any transfer, shut the door on a loan, and left Pitarch in limbo.
He stayed with the first team, but on paper he remains registered with Castilla because there are no free squad spots. His status, though, is clear inside the club: first-team player, new contract signed, future tied to Madrid.
Now comes the hardest part. Getting on the pitch.
Space is brutally limited. Mourinho has settled on a 4-2-3-1 that locks Pitarch into the double pivot zone, where the competition is fierce and unforgiving. Valverde, Tchouaméni, Camavinga and Bernardo Silva stand in his way. Five players for two positions. On paper, Thiago is fifth choice.
What he does have is last season’s tape and a personality that doesn’t shrink under pressure. He showed quality and courage when Madrid needed both.
Mourinho’s demand
Mourinho hasn’t used him lately, the injury still casting a shadow, but the coach hasn’t forgotten what Pitarch offered when thrown into the deep end.
The Portuguese was clear when asked about him: “He is not a player to feature in the Castilla category, but rather a first-team player and I like him a lot. He has qualities that I like very much, and when he is fully fit he will be part of the group, and then there will be minutes waiting for him to play, as he has very high quality.”
The message is simple: get fit, and the door opens.
But Mourinho wants more than just medical clearance. He wants a version of Pitarch that can survive – and thrive – in his demanding structure, especially without the ball. Physical edge, defensive bite, duels won. He told the youngster exactly where he stands: “The only thing I tell him is that his leg muscles are like mine, and he needs to add two kilograms there through work.”
It’s a typically sharp Mourinho line, half joke, half challenge. The subtext is serious. If Pitarch wants to be the answer to Madrid’s recurring midfield question, he’ll have to prove it in the gym before he proves it on the pitch.
