Álvaro Arbeloa's managerial debut for Real Madrid turned into a nightmare as the La Liga champions were shockingly knocked out of the Copa del Rey by second-tier Albacete Balompié. In a thrilling match that ended 3-2 at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte, Albacete, currently struggling in 17th place in La Liga 2, delivered a stunning upset, their first ever victory against Real Madrid.

Appointed on Monday to replace Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa, a former Real Madrid player himself, faced immediate pressure to deliver. However, his first game in charge quickly became a "tragedy," as he himself described it. Despite fielding a squad that included players like Vinícius Júnior and Federico Valverde, and including two players from Real Madrid's B team, Los Blancos struggled to find their rhythm against a determined Albacete side. Key players like Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Thibaut Courtois were rested for the match.

The match began under a literal cloud, as heavy fog enveloped the Carlos Belmonte stadium, mirroring the gloomy mood surrounding Real Madrid after their recent loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, which ultimately led to Alonso's departure. Albacete drew first blood in the 42nd minute when Javi Villar headed home from a corner. Real Madrid responded just before halftime, with Franco Mastantuono capitalizing on a corner to equalize.

The second half saw Real Madrid attempting to assert dominance, but Albacete remained resilient and dangerous on the counter. In the 82nd minute, Jefte Betancor, who came off the bench, put Albacete ahead with a volley. Just when it seemed Madrid were heading for defeat, Gonzalo García scored in stoppage time to level the score at 2-2. However, Betancor struck again in the 94th minute, securing a memorable victory for the home side with a composed finish over Real Madrid's goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

Arbeloa took responsibility for the defeat, stating, "If anyone is responsible and to blame for this outcome, it's clearly me, the one who made the decisions regarding the lineup, how we wanted to play, the substitutions". He also insisted that he did not regret his squad selection and would make the same choices again. "I was convinced that the squad was the right one," he said. "It was a great team, the starting lineup and the bench".

The defeat marks a significant setback for Real Madrid, who are now out of the Copa del Rey and face increasing pressure to turn their season around. For Albacete, the victory is a historic moment, propelling them into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals and providing a much-needed boost for their season.

The match was also marred by alleged racist chants directed at Vinícius Júnior by some Albacete fans before the game. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois condemned the behavior as "shameful" and called for action.