Pintus: I felt terror at Real Madrid, and I want the Mbappé video

The 19-year-old midfielder spoke, in an interview from the Spain Under-21 camp carried by Marca newspaper, about his time with the first team, after Real Madrid handed him a chance to feature last season. He is currently building experience with the Castilla side in Spain's Primera Federación, the third tier.

A Mbappé pass created an unforgettable memory

Pitarch recalled his first taste of the first team: "I was terrified in my first training session with Real Madrid."

He added: "I scored a goal in my first training session after a pass from Mbappé, and I must ask them for that video."

His sudden promotion still sticks with him. "As soon as I returned from Marbella with the reserve team, they told me I would be moving up to train with the first team, and Xabi Alonso was there, and I couldn't believe what was happening, because I had never moved up to training with him before."

On his first appearance in the Champions League against Benfica, he said: "I wasn't expecting that, I was nervous, but the ball makes me feel calm."

What did he say about Mourinho?

The teenager also touched on his relationship with manager José Mourinho, praising the way he handles his players. "Mourinho is very close to everyone, and he jokes a lot, but he is also serious when the situation requires it."

He added: "It is a great honour for a manager like him to say positive things about me."

One minute. That is all the young midfielder has managed with the first team this season, yet Mourinho has defended his standing before, insisting Pitarch is a first-team player.

The Real Madrid dream began at the age of 16

Playing for Real Madrid was always the dream. "I always wanted to become a footballer at Real Madrid, the best club in the world. This is the life I want to live, and I handle everything very calmly."

He joined the Royal club in 2023, having started out at the Atlético Madrid foundation under the Serbian Milinko Pantić, before spells at the academies of Getafe and Leganés.

On his move to Real Madrid, he said: "When the chance to join the club at the age of 16 appeared, I did not hesitate for a single moment."

Settling in was not easy at first, but he stressed he learned a great deal from the experience. He also praised the support of his parents throughout his career, as they rarely missed his training sessions or matches.

Written byAhmed Abdelhamid

Senior Editor and Shift Manager at kooora.com

I began my journalism career in 2012, working across several prominent media outlets, and officially joined the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate in 2015.

Throughout my career, I have combined field reporting, in-depth analysis, professional translation, and the creation of sports reports and series from a perspective that differs from the mainstream.

In 2017, a pivotal milestone came when I joined Kooora, the leading Arabic sports website, where I took on diverse responsibilities including supervising the translation and analysis sections, as well as managing editorial shifts. This experience provided me with extensive expertise in producing high-quality sports content.

I have loved football since childhood. I still remember the first match I ever watched—the 1994 World Cup final between Brazil and Italy. My parents woke me up at dawn to watch it, and I was just six years old at the time.

Since that night, my passion for the game has never faded. It has grown steadily and eventually became the center of my professional life.

Today, I specialize in professional translation and creative sports writing, including storytelling, journalistic scenarios, and unconventional analytical reports.

My favorite football memory is Egypt’s qualification for the 2018 World Cup after the dramatic late moments against Congo.

My all-time favorite lineup includes:

Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer

Defense: Dani Alves – Sergio Ramos – Paolo Maldini – Marcelo

Midfield: Sergio Busquets – Andrés Iniesta – Luka Modrić

Attack: Lionel Messi – Ronaldo Nazário – Cristiano Ronaldo

I have published many creative pieces on Kooora. Some of my favorites include:

“A Painful Regret for Ferguson… Paolo Maldini Saves Guardiola in the Champions League Final!”

“Kooora Story: Ronaldo’s Juventus Clashes with Ramos’ Real Madrid… Choose Your Favorite Ending”

“A Journalistic Scenario… The Night Florentino Pérez Cried”

For social media enthusiasts, you can follow me here:

View Author Profile