The home team secured a 4-1 victory against Elche, a match that saw Federico Valverde net another stunning goal, following his midweek Champions League hat-trick. Adding to the spectacle, Arda Guler scored from an astonishing distance of 68 metres.
However, for numerous Madrid supporters, the most encouraging aspect was the inclusion of five players from their Castilla youth squad.
This opportunity arose partly because manager Arbeloa was without nine senior squad members due to injuries. The match situation also played a role: with Madrid comfortably leading 2-0 by half-time, key players could be rested in anticipation of their upcoming trip to Manchester.
Despite the circumstances, Arbeloa merits praise for fielding these young talents, a move that predecessors like Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso might not have made.
Thiago Pitarch, 18, once again performed impressively in his fourth consecutive start in the senior midfield. He was joined by winger Dani Yanez (18), central defender Diego Aguado (19), and midfielders Cesar Palacios (21) and Manuel Angel (22), all of whom entered the game from the bench in the second half.
Yanez made an immediate impact, providing an assist just eight minutes after coming on, while Aguado executed a crucial block to deny Elche substitute Grady Diangana a goal. Manuel Angel, unfortunately, experienced some bad luck, scoring a late own goal.
Arbeloa’s strong connection with many of these youngsters stems from his five years coaching within the club’s youth setup. For instance, Yanez was part of the very first starting XI Arbeloa selected for Madrid’s under-14 team back in December 2020.
Additional reporting by Mario Cortegana.