Arbeloa’s expertise as head coach of Actual Madrid’s reserve workforce has made integrating younger gamers into the primary workforce really feel seamless, so it was pure to count on him to provide rising expertise alternatives.
That occurred extra notably when Actual Madrid performed Elche earlier this month and Arbeloa gave minutes to 6 Castilla gamers – Gonzalo Garcia, Daniel Yanez, Diego Aguado, Manuel Angel and Cesar Palacios, whereas additionally naming Thiago Pitarch within the beginning XI.
Pitarch, specifically, has quickly established himself as certainly one of Arbeloa’s most promising proteges.
At simply 18 years and 226 days outdated, he turned the youngest participant within the membership’s historical past to start out twice within the Champions League knockout phases, beating Vinicius’ file by 10 days.
Requested what it meant to see 5 academy graduates on the pitch, Arbeloa could not disguise his delight.
“I feel I can die pleased after an evening like tonight,” he mentioned.
“I used to be simply speaking to Yanez and Aguado, who have been the primary gamers I coached after they have been 13 or 14 years outdated, and to have the ability to give them the chance to play on the Bernabeu is a dream come true for me.”
Whereas Arbeloa is likely to be aware of the Castilla gamers, he admits accidents have restricted his publicity to some first-team gamers, however he’s desperate to proceed constructing relationships throughout the squad.
“I nonetheless have loads to be taught as a result of we’re regularly recovering gamers I have not labored with but, reminiscent of Militao,” he mentioned. “Bellingham was in a position to play [against Atletico] after a very long time, so we’re in fixed evolution with numerous room for enchancment.
“There is a robust calendar forward, with a check each three days, and we now have to provide our greatest.”
