The future of Real! Thiago Pitarch breaks Vinícius record in Champions League playoffs

Real Madrid’s rising star Thiago Pitarch is rewriting the club’s history at the highest level. Starting in the lineup for the round of 16 clash against Manchester City, the midfielder set a remarkable milestone.

Details: According to Opta, at just 18 years and 226 days old, Pitarch has become the youngest player in the history of the “Royal Club” to start twice in Champions League playoff matches. In doing so, he surpassed the previous record held by current team star Vinícius Júnior, who set the mark in 2019 at 18 years and 236 days old.

• See also: Barcelona — Newcastle Prediction, H2H and Probable Lineups — 18 March 2026

Note that kickoff is scheduled for 21:00 Central European Time.

Reminder: Manchester City striker Erling Haaland shared his thoughts ahead of the showdown against Real.