Thiago Pitarch Fights Through Crowded Midfield Queue to Earn Mourinho's Trust

Thiago Pitarch’s rise under Alvaro Arbeloa marked one of the standout developments of last season at Real Madrid. The Castilla midfielder stepped into the first team and looked comfortable immediately, bringing a profile the senior squad had been missing. An injury picked up at the start of pre-season kept him sidelined for months, but he is now back and ready to compete for minutes.

According to AS, Thiago remains part of Madrid’s first-team plans even though he is currently registered with the reserve side. Last season he logged more than 800 minutes at senior level, a track record that still stands as his strongest case for further opportunities.

Thiago could offer Madrid something they need

Midfield control has resurfaced as a concern at Madrid after the club failed to land Rodri over the summer. That gap showed clearly against Inter Milan, where Jose Mourinho wanted his side to hold possession and slow the tempo, but the team could not sustain that control for long stretches.

Thiago proved last season he can handle pressure situations. He became a regular under Arbeloa and started both Champions League last-16 fixtures against Manchester City, then took the field in the first leg of the quarter-final against Bayern Munich. His momentum stalled once the pre-season injury hit, denying him the chance to make a proper first impression on Mourinho.

Mourinho believes he belongs in first team

Competition is now the real obstacle. Thiago’s natural role in Mourinho’s 4-2-3-1 sits in the double pivot, a zone already occupied by Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Bernardo Silva. On paper that puts him fifth in the pecking order.

Mourinho has not hidden his view of the youngster’s ceiling.

“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.”

Read also: Football Betting Tips: 9 Expert Picks — 12-13 September

Mourinho wants Thiago to develop physically

Mourinho did flag one specific area for improvement. He wants Thiago to add strength and bulk before he can push further up the depth chart.

“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.

Four established midfielders standing ahead of him should not be read as a dismissal of Thiago’s chances at Madrid.

He has already handled Champions League pressure and shown he belongs at senior level. What he needs now is fitness, physical conditioning and patience.

If he keeps impressing in whatever minutes he gets, Mourinho will likely find a way to fold him into his plans on a more regular basis.

How Thiago looks upon his return from injury, and whether he can force his way into Madrid’s midfield picture in the coming weeks, remains to be seen. Stay with TipsGG for continued coverage of Real Madrid’s midfield rotation.