Daijiworld Media Network - Albacete
Albacete, Jan 15: Second-division side Albacete produced a sensational upset on Wednesday night, knocking out Spanish giants Real Madrid 3-2 in the Copa del Rey round of 16, with substitute Jefte Betancor scoring twice in a dramatic finish at the Carlos Belmonte stadium.
Playing under dense fog and in front of a charged crowd of around 17,000, Albacete rose to the occasion to eliminate the 14-time European champions, handing new Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa a losing start on his managerial debut. Arbeloa took charge after the club parted ways with Xabi Alonso earlier this week.
Fielding a largely second-string side and missing stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Thibaut Courtois and Aurelien Tchouameni, Real struggled to break down Albacete’s disciplined defence. Vinicius Jr., leading the attack, was tightly marked throughout the game and failed to make a significant impact.
The hosts took a deserved lead in the 42nd minute when Javier Villar headed home from a Jose Lazo corner. Real, however, equalised just before the break as Franco Mastantuono smashed in a rebound after Albacete goalkeeper Raul Lizoain saved Dean Huijsen’s header.
After the restart, Real dominated possession but lacked penetration. Albacete continued to threaten on the counter and regained the lead in the 82nd minute when Betancor capitalised on a defensive lapse following a corner to score from close range.
Real forced the game into stoppage-time drama when Gonzalo Garcia headed in Arda Guler’s cross to make it 2-2. But the celebrations were short-lived. In added time, Betancor broke free on the counter, saw his first effort blocked, and then calmly rifled the rebound into the top corner to seal a famous victory.
Reacting to the defeat, Real captain Dani Carvajal admitted responsibility. “We’ve hit rock bottom, losing to a second-division team. The players are responsible, and we have to accept it,” he said.
The result marks one of the biggest upsets of this Copa del Rey season and a memorable night for Albacete, while questions loom large over Real Madrid following their early exit.