Spanish-Moroccan teenager Thiago Pitarch breaks Raul’s record in UCL

Spanish-Moroccan teenager Thiago Pitarch has made history at Real Madrid by breaking a long-standing record held by club legend Raúl González.

Ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, coach Álvaro Arbeloa named the 18-year-old in the starting lineup, making him the youngest Real Madrid player to start a UCL quarter-final match at 18 years and 247 days.

Raul’s record had stood since 1996.

Neuer Matches Messi in Champions League Appearances

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is set to play his 136th match as a starter for the German giants, equaling Lionel Messi’s record for the most starting appearances for one club in the tournament, as reported by Opta. Only Iker Casillas sits above them, with 149 starts for Real Madrid.

Neuer will also make his 69th Champions League knockout-stage appearance, tying Karim Benzema’s record, with Cristiano Ronaldo still leading at 85 appearances, according to the French network Statsfoot.

Kompany Reaches Milestone as Bayern Coach

Adding to the historic notes, Belgian coach Vincent Kompany will manage his 100th match with Bayern Munich across all competitions since taking charge in July 2024.

This Champions League fixture promises to be memorable, not only for the clash between two European powerhouses but also for the record-breaking milestones set by Pitarch, Neuer, and Kompany.