{"id":10918,"date":"2026-01-15T07:51:04","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T07:51:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/?p=10918"},"modified":"2026-01-15T07:51:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T07:51:04","slug":"albacete-shock-real-madrid-3-2-in-copa-del-rey-as-arbeloas-debut-ends-in-defeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/albacete-shock-real-madrid-3-2-in-copa-del-rey-as-arbeloas-debut-ends-in-defeat\/","title":{"rendered":"Albacete Shock Real Madrid 3\u20132 in Copa del Rey as Arbeloa\u2019s Debut Ends in Defeat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Albacete<\/strong> delivered one of the biggest shocks in recent <strong>Copa del Rey<\/strong> history after eliminating <strong>Real Madrid<\/strong> with a dramatic <strong>3\u20132 victory<\/strong>, knocking the Spanish giants out of the competition at the hands of a <strong>second-tier side<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The stunning upset came on a historic night that also marked <strong>\u00c1lvaro Arbeloa<\/strong>\u2019s first match in charge of Real Madrid\u2014a debut that could hardly have gone worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Match Summary: Late Drama Decides Giant-Killing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Real Madrid appeared to be edging closer to survival after trading blows with Albacete, but the hosts produced a sensational late surge that stunned the visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Goalscorers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Albacete<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>J. Villar (42\u2019)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jeft\u00e9 Betancor (82\u2019, 90+5\u2019)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Real Madrid<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>F. Mastantuono (45+3\u2019)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>G. Garc\u00eda (90+1\u2019)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Former Real Madrid youth player <strong>Jeft\u00e9 Betancor<\/strong> was the hero of the night, scoring <strong>two late goals<\/strong> to complete a fairy-tale comeback and eliminate his former club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/photo\/2026\/0114\/r1600680_1296x729_16-9.jpg\" alt=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/photo\/2026\/0114\/r1600680_1296x729_16-9.jpg\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Arbeloa\u2019s Nightmare Debut<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The defeat compounds a turbulent period for Real Madrid. Arbeloa was appointed manager following the club\u2019s <strong>Spanish Super Cup loss to Barcelona<\/strong>, which led to the dismissal of <strong>Xabi Alonso<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite Madrid\u2019s pedigree and experience, defensive lapses and a lack of control in key moments proved costly, allowing Albacete to grow in belief and confidence as the match wore on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Albacete Make History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For Albacete, this was a <strong>once-in-a-generation night<\/strong>. A second-tier side knocking out Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey cements their place in Spanish football folklore. The atmosphere, resilience, and late drama perfectly embodied the magic of cup football.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"465\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/3410.jpg\" alt=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/f5ddf2607d8e99fee78ff5baaa8988f37eebcb1d\/263_0_3410_2728\/master\/3410.jpg?crop=none&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;width=465\" class=\"wp-image-10921\" style=\"width:543px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/3410.jpg 465w, https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/3410-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/3410-150x120.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The win will be remembered as one of the club\u2019s greatest-ever achievements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Real Madrid\u2019s Season Under Pressure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With Copa del Rey hopes ended, Real Madrid now face a narrow path to silverware:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\ud83c\udfc6 <strong>La Liga<\/strong> \u2013 Fierce title race<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\ud83c\udfc6 <strong>Champions League<\/strong> \u2013 Elite European competition<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The pressure is firmly on Arbeloa to stabilise the season quickly, as Madrid\u2019s margin for error continues to shrink against top domestic and continental rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What This Means Going Forward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Albacete<\/strong> march on in the Copa del Rey, dreaming of an improbable deep run.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Real Madrid<\/strong> must regroup fast, with focus shifting fully to La Liga and the Champions League.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The result sends a clear warning: Madrid\u2019s troubles are far from over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Verdict<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Albacete\u2019s <strong>3\u20132 Copa del Rey victory<\/strong> will go down as one of the competition\u2019s greatest upsets. Late heroics from Jeft\u00e9 Betancor and an inspired team performance ended Real Madrid\u2019s cup campaign and handed \u00c1lvaro Arbeloa a harsh introduction to management at the Bernab\u00e9u.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c.ndtvimg.com\/2026-01\/87jj9hcg_real-madrid-_625x300_15_January_26.jpg?im=FeatureCrop%2Calgorithm%3Ddnn%2Cwidth%3D1200%2Cheight%3D738\" alt=\"https:\/\/c.ndtvimg.com\/2026-01\/87jj9hcg_real-madrid-_625x300_15_January_26.jpg?im=FeatureCrop%2Calgorithm%3Ddnn%2Cwidth%3D1200%2Cheight%3D738\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Spanish football witnessed a night to remember\u2014proof once again that in the Copa del Rey, <strong>anything is possible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Bet on Bangbet?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/bangbet.com\/\">Bangbet<\/a>&nbsp;is your No.1 home for sports betting<\/strong>\u2014trusted, rewarding, and built for fans who want more from every match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>High odds on all Premier League fixtures<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jackpot opportunities every week<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expert match previews and betting guides<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fast payouts and reliable customer service<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wide selection of casino games<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cashback bonuses and promotions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Responsible gaming support for all players<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bet smart. 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We go beyond betting by offering expert predictions, helpful guides, and personalized support for your betting journey. At&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.bangbet.androidgsavvggplay\">Bangbet<\/a>, it\u2019s more than a game \u2013 it\u2019s your ultimate betting experience, backed by care and confidence.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/bangbet.com\/\">Bangbet<\/a>&nbsp;More Than Win!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Albacete delivered one of the biggest shocks in recent Copa del Rey history after eliminating Real Madrid with a dramatic 3\u20132 victory, knocking the Spanish giants out of the competition at the hands of a second-tier side. The stunning upset came on a historic night that also marked \u00c1lvaro Arbeloa\u2019s first match in charge of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10920,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[1660,1661,1531,1659,179],"class_list":{"0":"post-10918","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football-news","8":"tag-albacete-3-2-real-madrid","9":"tag-albacete-v-madrid","10":"tag-copa-del-rey","11":"tag-madrid-out-of-copa-del-rey","12":"tag-real-madrid"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10918"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10922,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10918\/revisions\/10922"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/gh\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}