Arbeloa's Debut Disaster: Real Madrid Stunned by Second-Tier Albacete in Copa del Rey

Football
N
News18•15-01-2026, 08:15
Arbeloa's Debut Disaster: Real Madrid Stunned by Second-Tier Albacete in Copa del Rey
- •Real Madrid, under new coach Alvaro Arbeloa, suffered a shocking 3-2 defeat to Segunda División side Albacete in the Copa del Rey.
- •Jefte Betancor scored twice for Albacete, including a dramatic stoppage-time winner at the Carlos Belmonte stadium.
- •Arbeloa was appointed just 48 hours before the match, replacing Xabi Alonso after a Super Cup final loss to Barcelona.
- •Madrid played without key senior players like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Thibaut Courtois, who were rested.
- •Captain Dani Carvajal apologized to fans, acknowledging the team was not at its best level.
Why It Matters: Alvaro Arbeloa's Real Madrid managerial debut ended in a humiliating Copa del Rey exit to Albacete.
✦
More like this
Loading more articles...





