Overview
- Albacete, 17th in Spain’s second division, beat Real Madrid 3-2 in the round of 16, with Jefté Betancor scoring in the 82nd minute and again in stoppage time after a brief Madrid equalizer.
- The defeat came in Álvaro Arbeloa’s first game after replacing Xabi Alonso, days after a Supercopa loss to Barcelona.
- Arbeloa accepted full responsibility for the lineup, game plan, and substitutions, saying the team must recover quickly.
- Kylian Mbappé did not feature as Madrid fielded several young players, prompting debate over selection and rotation.
- Thibaut Courtois posted video of racist chants aimed at Vinícius Junior and called the abuse disgusting, as Spanish media labeled the result a humiliation before a swift return to Liga play against Levante.