This catastrophic exit marks an absolute disaster for the 15-time European champions, coming just days after a turbulent week: a heavy loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, the shock sacking of manager Xabi Alonso after only seven months, and now this humiliating knockout on the very first match in charge for new boss Álvaro Arbeloa.
The fog-shrouded pitch in Albacete set the scene for chaos from the start. Real Madrid dominated possession (around 68%) and fired 17 shots (six on target), but their wasteful finishing and defensive frailty proved fatal. Albacete, sitting 17th in the second tier and just one point from the drop zone to the third division, showed incredible heart and clinical edge.
The hosts struck first on the stroke of halftime through Javi Villar—a former Real Madrid academy product—who capitalized on a rare chance to make it 1-0. Franco Mastantuono leveled for Madrid in first-half stoppage time, giving hope of a routine turnaround.
But the second half belonged to Albacete's hero, substitute Jefte Betancor. The 32-year-old Canarian forward came off the bench to score twice in the dying moments—first in the 82nd minute to restore the lead at 2-1, then with a dramatic chipped finish in the 94th minute after Gonzalo García had equalized for Madrid in added time (90+1'). Betancor's brace sealed a historic giant-killing, sending the 16,800 home fans into ecstasy.
Arbeloa, a club legend appointed interim after Alonso's exit, took full responsibility post-match, calling the defeat a "tragedy" and admitting his rotations (resting stars like Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé) backfired badly. Captain Dani Carvajal summed up the mood: "We've hit rock bottom; we've been knocked out by a second division team."
The result deepens Real Madrid's crisis. With the Super Cup gone and now the Copa del Rey dream shattered early, Los Blancos are left fighting only in La Liga (trailing leaders Barcelona) and the Champions League. This is the second time in three seasons they've exited at the round of 16—echoing painful memories of past cup shocks.
Albacete, meanwhile, march on to the quarter-finals, proving once again that the Copa del Rey's magic lies in its unpredictability. For Madrid fans, it's pure agony: from Galácticos to Galáctrashed in a matter of days.
What a week of meltdown for the Bernabéu giants—questions swirl over the board's decisions, the squad's mentality, and whether Arbeloa can steady the ship before it's too late. One thing's certain: this shock will be talked about for years!