Albacete Stuns Real Madrid in Copa del Rey Upset

Albacete defeated Real Madrid 3-2 in the Copa del Rey, with substitute Jefte Betancor scoring twice to secure the shock victory. Led by Alvaro Arbeloa, Real struggled without key players and faced a disciplined Albacete defense, ultimately succumbing to the second-tier team's counter-attacks.

In a sensational Copa del Rey encounter, second-tier Albacete orchestrated a stunning 3-2 victory against the football powerhouse Real Madrid. A pivotal figure in the victory, substitute Jefte Betancor delivered two crucial goals that left Real Madrid reeling and eliminated them at the round-of-16 stage.

The match, which marked Alvaro Arbeloa's managerial debut after Xabi Alonso's recent departure, saw a predominantly weakened Real Madrid squad struggling to break through Albacete's disciplined defenses. Notably absent were stars like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, with fog adding to the dramatic backdrop of the match.

Despite Real Madrid's efforts to claw back into the game, Albacete's resilient strategy and relentless counter-attacks kept the visitors at bay, culminating in a last-minute strike by Betancor that sealed a historic victory for the home side.