Álvaro Arbeloa carefully managed the squad during Real Madrid’s match against Elche, making full use of the updated regulation concerning academy players on the field.

Starting this season, the rule no longer requires a minimum of seven first-team players on the pitch. Instead, it establishes a maximum of four non-first-team players at any given moment. This means that even if a first-team player were sent off while the team had seven senior players and four academy players on the field, it would not be considered an ineligible lineup, unlike under the previous regulation.

The rule change initially caused confusion and concern among some observers, who feared that Real Madrid might have fielded an ineligible lineup. In reality, everything was fully under control, as the team never exceeded the limit of four players registered with Real Madrid Castilla.

During the closing stages of the second half, the match featured academy players Thiago Pitarch, Yáñez, Diego Aguado, Manuel Ángel, and Palacios appearing at different moments.

Real Madrid started the game with Pitarch as the only Castilla registered player. In the second half, the first round of substitutions saw Yáñez come on alongside Arda Güler and Gonzalo García, replacing Aurélien Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde, and Vinícius Júnior. Aguado later replaced Antonio Rüdiger, bringing the number of Castilla players to three.

In the final substitution, Manuel Ángel and Palacios entered the match, while Pitarch left the pitch. That adjustment ensured Arbeloa finished the game with seven first-team players and four Castilla players, perfectly respecting the regulation while pushing the rule to its limit.

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