Without Kylian Mbappé and for Arbeloa’s first on the Real Madrid bench, the Madrilenians were surprised by the 2nd division club, Albacete.
A first failure. For a start, it’s hard to imagine a worse scenario: appointed on Monday, the new Real Madrid coach Alavaro Arbeloa watched helplessly as his team was defeated by a poorly ranked D2 side, Albacete (3-2), on Wednesday in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey.
The 42-year-old former right-back, who until then led the Real reserve, replaced his ex-teammate Xabi Alonso at the head of the first team on Monday, the day after the Super Cup defeat against FC Barcelona (3-2). Wishing “a new beginning” to his team, Arbeloa lived a nightmare from the edge of the pitch of the small Castilla-La Mancha club, currently 17th in the second division, with an audience becoming more and more fused as the scenario got carried away and the atmosphere became tense on the pitch.
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In the absence of Kylian Mbappé left to rest and with several young starters, Real was showered from the start by Javi Villar (42nd, 1-0). Franco Mastantuono managed to quickly equalize (45th + 3, 1-1). The Merengues had the worst difficulties in the second half to create chances and it was the local players who took advantage again by scoring a goal eight minutes from time by Jefté Betancor (82nd, 2-1).
Several executives (Carvajal, Alaba, Camavinga) entered but it was the young and promising striker Gonzalo Garcia who thought he could avoid the worst for his team by equalizing from a corner in added time (90th+1, 2-2). It was then that Betancor delivered the final blow (90th+4).
Courtois denounces racist chants
Rested on Wednesday, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois criticized racist chants directed at his teammate Vinicius Junior by Albacete supporters near their stadium before the match. The Belgian goalkeeper shared a video on Instagram showing a group of supporters chanting +Vinicius, you are a monkey+. “Enough of the racism, it’s sickening”commented Courtois. The Brazilian winger was the victim of racist insults on several occasions from opposing supporters.
To prevent the multi-titled club of world football from sinking into an even deeper crisis, Real will have to pull itself together next weekend with the reception of Levante in La Liga where the leader FC Barcelona is ahead of it by four points. In the other round of 16 contested on Wednesday featuring duels between first division residents, Alavès beat Rayo Vallecano (2-0) and Betis Sevilla won against Elche (2-1).
Barça will travel to Santander, leader of the 2nd division, on Thursday.
