Real Madrid dumped out of Copa del Rey by Albacete as Alvaro Arbeloa starts on sour note | OneFootball

Albacete 3-2 Real Madrid

Real Madrid are out of the Copa del Rey, having been defeated 3-2 by Segunda side Albacete at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte in Alvaro Arbeloa’s first match as manager.

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Arbeloa opted to make sweeping changes from the Spanish Supercup defeat to Barcelona, which spelled the end of predecessor Xabi Alonso. However, this freshness did not help Real Madrid, who struggled to create chances against their Segunda opponents. The home side managed to find the breakthrough with one of theirs, courtesy of a fantastic header from defender Javi Villar.

Fortunately for Real Madrid, they managed to find an equaliser before half time. In the third minute of stoppage time, Franco Mastantuono fired home the first goal of the Arbeloa era, as he reacted quickly following a fine save from Albacete goalkeeper Raul Lizoainto deny Dean Huijsen.

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Albacete did not wilt after that, and their reward was a second goal of the night, which was scored by substitute Jefte Betancor. The ball fell his way inside the penalty area, and his volley into the ground could not be stopped by Andriy Lunin, who was deputising for Real Madrid first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

That goal left Real Madrid staring down the barrel of defeat, but they found another response in the first minute of stoppage time, with Gonzalo Garcia finding the back of the net. He headed home from Arda Guler’s corner to restore parity, but that did no last long as Albacete won the tie in the 94th minute courtesy of Jefte’s second of the evening.

Real Madrid’s season goes from bad to worse

It has been a miserable few days for Real Madrid. Arbeloa’s decision not to call upon the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe has come back to bite him, and it means that only La Liga and the Champions League are now on offer to Los Blancos, who could be set for a second season in a row without a major trophy.