An Unexpected Upset in the Copa del Rey

On January 14, 2026, at 12:00 Pacific Time, in the Copa del Rey round – of – 16, Real Madrid had a tough day. New coach Aveloa’s first game saw Real Madrid visit Albacete Balompié, 17th in the Segunda División. Shockingly, Real Madrid lost 2 – 3, a nightmare start for Aveloa.

Key Moments in the Game

Albacete Takes the Lead

In the 42nd minute, Villar headed in from a corner. So, Albacete led 1 – 0.

Real Madrid Equalizes

Just before halftime, Real Madrid got a corner. Hysen’s header was saved, but Mastrantonio scored to make it 1 – 1.

Real Madrid Falls Behind Again

At the 82nd minute, Real Madrid’s defense messed up. Beltrán volleyed in, and Real Madrid was behind once more.

Another Equalizer and Then a Heart – breaker

In the 90 + 1 minute, Gonzalo headed in from a right – side corner, tying the score. But in the 90 + 4 minute, Real Madrid’s counter – attack was intercepted. Beltrán calmly scored in the box, and Albacete won 3 – 2, stunning Real Madrid.

Post – match Reactions

Carvajal’s Sincere Words

After the game, Real Madrid captain Carvajal said, “We’ve hit rock bottom. We must face reality when we lose. The players are to blame, and I’ve got little to say.”

Piqué’s Taunting Comment

The poor debut of Real Madrid’s new coach drew Piqué’s mockery. Through the Twitch chat, he said, “3 – 2, a ‘nice’ start for Real Madrid under the new coach.”

Real Madrid’s Line – up

Real Madrid played in a 4 – 3 – 3 formation. The line – up was: Lunin / David Jiménez (77’ Carvajal), Raúl Asensio, Hysen (65’ Alaba), Fran García (65’ Camavinga) / Valverde, Sestelo (86’ Manuel Ángel), Güler / Mastrantonio (77’ César Palacios), Gonzalo García, Vinícius.

This loss is a huge blow to Real Madrid. Aveloa must act fast to turn things around. Fans hope the team can bounce back soon.