Álvaro Arbeloa’s tenure as Real Madrid head coach got off to the worst possible start. In his official debut, Los Blancos were eliminated from the 2025/26 Copa del Rey after a dramatic 3-2 defeat against Albacete at the Carlos Belmonte, in what became a historic night for the home side.
Fielding a heavily rotated lineup and missing several key stars, Real Madrid controlled possession from the opening minutes but struggled to turn that dominance into real danger. Long-range efforts from Arda Güler and Vinícius Júnior were the few highlights of a first half marked by a lack of creativity in the final third.
Albacete struck first just before halftime. In the 42nd minute, Javi Villar rose unmarked to head home from a corner kick, exposing Madrid’s defensive frailties and igniting the home crowd.
The visitors responded before the break. Franco Mastantuono, one of the standout figures of the match, capitalized on a rebound inside the box after a header by Huijsen was partially saved, tapping in the equalizer to score his first goal for Real Madrid and make amends for his role in the opening goal.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Arbeloa’s side continued to dominate the ball but lacked ideas and precision in attack, unable to break down Albacete’s disciplined defensive block. Substitutions failed to change the flow of the game as tension steadily grew.
In the 82nd minute, Jefté Betancor punished Real Madrid once again from a set piece, putting Albacete back in front and pushing the Spanish giants to the brink of elimination. When all seemed lost, Gonzalo emerged in the 91st minute to head home the equalizer and briefly revive Madrid’s hopes.
But the final blow was still to come. Deep into stoppage time, with Real Madrid stretched and disorganized, Jefté outpaced the defense and produced a superb finish into the far corner to seal the 3-2 victory, completing a memorable performance.
Albacete celebrated one of the greatest wins in the club’s Copa del Rey history, while Real Madrid left the pitch stunned, eliminated and surrounded by doubts after a debut night that raised more questions than answers for Arbeloa.
