Arbeloa does what neither Zidane nor Ancelotti did

It is often said that in times of difficulty the academy must rise to the occasion. That has always been the case at Real Madrid. The most celebrated example is the Quinta del Buitre. Before that came Los García, and in more recent times the slogan of Zidanes and Pavones emerged. With the squad traveling with a wave of absences – as many as ten when injuries and suspensions were counted – the game in Balaídos was a major headache. One that, to be fair, the academy ultimately resolved, beyond the usual figures appearing once more: Federico Valverde scoring with his heart and Thibaut Courtois producing two saves worth as much as goals.

It must be acknowledged that Álvaro Arbeloa has shown no hesitation in trusting the youngsters. The coach deserves credit for that attitude at a moment when his own future – and the dream of remaining on the Real Madrid bench next season – is on the line. It is something no coach in recent years has done. Not even José Mourinho, who liked to boast about lists of academy graduates when in reality many only debuted for a few minutes to pad those numbers. Zinedine Zidane did not do it either, nor, of course, did Carlo Ancelotti.

Vigo confirmed the emergence of Thiago Pitarch. Arbeloa kept him on the field and even substituted Arda Güler. César Palacios made a lively impact when he entered the game, as did Manuel Ángel. The only mistake from the coach was not starting Gonzalo from the beginning. It takes a bit of fortune to secure a victory in the final minute, but you also have to go searching for it – and a Real Madrid side filled with academy players, pulsing with that energy, chased it until the very end.

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