Former Real Madrid midfielder Guti offered a wide-ranging and candid assessment of the current state of the club in a recent interview with AS, touching on everything from emerging talents to Álvaro Arbeloa’s impact on the team.
One of the standout topics was the rise of Thiago Pitarch, who has quickly made an impression.
“ Thiago Pitarch? Wow, so many things! He’s erupting as a player with spectacular clarity on the ball , spectacular defensive and offensive work, and incredible ambition. I don’t
know if he’ll be ‘a Kroos’ or not, but he’s definitely changed the face of Real Madrid.”
Guti also acknowledged the difficult context Arbeloa inherited, while praising how the coach has handled adversity so far.
“I think that when you join a team mid-season, when things aren’t going well, and then a plague of injuries hits, preventing you from working the way you want… It’s always a poisoned chalice. But it’s true that Arbeloa is managing things well so far, and that’s what all Madrid fans hope for: that Madrid wins titles and that Arbeloa can stay.”
The former midfielder didn’t hold back when discussing a recent tactical triumph, highlighting the magnitude of Arbeloa’s performance against Pep Guardiola.
“He beat Guardiola in everything. Not just in football, but also in pride and tactically. The Real Madrid coach is underestimated by being described as a manager, when winning isn’t just about being a manager. You also have to do things right, like he does.”
Guti also weighed in on Arda Güler’s role, pointing out the challenges of fitting a traditional playmaker into modern football.
“Güler will always be a number 10, but the number 10 role doesn’t exist in modern football. You either move to the side or play in midfield with a more defensive midfielder. Arda can play anywhere; he has the quality to do it. He’s a very valuable asset for Real Madrid.”
When speaking about one of his favorite players in the current squad, Guti drew parallels to his own career.
“Absolutely (Güler is one of my favourite players). He’s somewhat like the type of player I was at Real Madrid. I know that in great times everyone praises him, but in difficult times he’s criticized, just like I was. We’ve had parallel lives, in different years. I just want to tell him to keep working and believing in himself, because he has enormous talent. He can do anything in football.
On Federico Valverde, Guti revealed he had long seen the Uruguayan’s potential.
“I knew it perfectly well (the Fede Valverde would be a beast). When he arrived… I took him on in his first year, and he was shy, he struggled to fit in, and that meant he wasn’t giving 100%. I always told him, “You can give so much more, because you have the talent for it.” And now he’s really come into his own. He’s vital, important. Not just because of the goals; he contributes so much both offensively and defensively, and he’s very well-liked in the locker room.
He also discussed Valverde’s optimal role on the pitch, emphasizing his versatility and attacking instincts.
“I see him in the position he’s in now. He drifts wide to help the full-back, but he has the freedom to get forward and break lines. He’s got a great eye for goal and gets into scoring positions more often. It’s his ideal position.”
Turning to squad management, Guti highlighted the delicate balance Arbeloa must strike with returning stars like Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham.
“Mbappe and Bellingham are great players and will do everything to be at 100% and up to the team’s standard. It’s a difficult moment where Álvaro will have to decide whether to continue relying on the current players or bring in those who are returning, like Mbappé. If he handles it well and with tact, it will be good. If not, it could create a problem in the locker room…”
On Bellingham specifically, Guti believes his strengths are maximized in a more advanced, dynamic role.
“I think Bellingham is a box-to-box player. He loses a lot of his touch when he’s deep in midfield. If we were talking about Fede breaking lines, Bellingham does that very well too. He has a good header and a good shot. If you put him in midfield, you lose some of his talent.”
Guti also addressed the goalkeeping situation, backing Andriy Lunin while reaffirming Thibaut Courtois’ elite status.
“We have a lot of faith in Lunin; he’s done very well when Courtois hasn’t been available. But Courtois is the best goalkeeper in the world. He’s made incredible saves that have won us games. In Manchester, if he hadn’t made two or three saves, the match would have been much more difficult.”
More broadly, he praised the cultural and tactical clarity Arbeloa has instilled in the squad.
“Arbeloa has put the players where he wants them to be. He’s clearly outlined what he wanted to convey, both in press conferences and explicitly: the shirt, running together, being a family… The players are on that path, and it’s good to see a coach where he wants them to be. That’s why we’re seeing the best version of Real Madrid.”
Finally, Guti emphasized the importance of integrating academy players, something he believes Arbeloa is handling well.
“The fans want to see that homegrown players. The fact that Arbeloa has brought in players from the academy that he knows and who are performing well is crucial. And I hope it’s a long-term strategy, not just a current one.”
