Albacete defeated Real Madrid 3–2 on Wednesday in a dramatic Copa del Rey clash, handing Álvaro Arbeloa his first loss as head coach of the Spanish giants.
Javi Villar opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, while Jefté emerged as the match’s standout with goals in the 82nd minute and deep into stoppage time at 90’+4.
Real Madrid responded through Franco Mastantuono just before halftime at 45’+3 and Gonzalo García at 90’+1, keeping hopes alive until the final moments. However, the late surge was not enough to prevent elimination.
Madrid controlled possession for much of the match, but clear scoring chances were evenly distributed, with both sides registering five shots on target. The visitors held a slight edge in corner kicks, though it failed to translate into a positive result.
The defeat eliminates Real Madrid from the Copa del Rey and marks the club’s second missed trophy of 2026, following a 2–1 loss to Barcelona in the Super Cup on Sunday.
