The 18-year-old rejoined the first-team squad only nine days after lifting the trophy, eager to earn a place under Jose Mourinho, but a bad landing during his very first training session has ruled him out for around six weeks, according to AS.
Since then, Pitarch has been working at Valdebebas to recover as quickly as possible and get back under the Portuguese coach's orders. Before the setback, his future had looked more open than ever, with Malaga the club showing the most concrete interest, though their absence from European competition complicates any move given Pitarch's stated priority.
"I'd like to keep adding Champions League minutes next season," he told AS in a recent interview, a preference the knee injury may now have complicated.
The option of Pitarch staying at the Bernabeu has not been ruled out. As was the case last season, he will formally be registered as a Real Madrid Castilla player, not because he falls outside Mourinho's plans but because the first-team squad list is full, with further departures required to accommodate the potential arrivals of Yan Diomande and Rodri.
Being listed with Castilla does not mean he will not be part of the first-team picture; if he stays, he is likely to train regularly with the senior squad, much as he did last season, when he made 16 appearances for Real Madrid and started against opponents including Atletico Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich under then-coach Alvaro Arbeloa.
Competition for a midfield place will be considerably tougher this season. The arrival of Bernardo Silva and the potential signing of Rodri would boost Mourinho's central-midfield options significantly, a boost for the head coach but a blow for Pitarch's prospects, even accounting for the departure of Dani Ceballos, who did not command the kind of minutes City's departing pair could bring.
For now, Pitarch's focus is on recovering from an injury that has left his immediate future firmly in the balance, with the club yet to make any final decision on whether he will be integrated into first-team plans once fit or encouraged to seek regular football on loan elsewhere.