Real Madrid have been eliminated from the Copa del Rey
A new era at Real Madrid got off to a false start as Álvaro Arbeloa’s severely weakened squad crashed to a 3-2 defeat to Segunda side Albacete in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night. Albacete took the lead with an Iván Villar header, shortly before Franco Mastantuono equalised on the stroke of half-time. Olympiacos loanee Jefte Betancor then scored off the bench for Albacete late on, with Gonzalo García grabbing an injury-time leveller, with Betancor giving Albacete the lead once again on 94 minutes.
Three answers
1. Would Álvaro Arbeloa give Castilla youngsters a shot?
As coach of Castilla until Monday afternoon, it was logical that a Copa del Rey tie against a Segunda side would be the ideal opportunity for Arbeloa to give minutes to promising youngsters who he knows only too well. With seven in the matchday squad, two were given starts as David Jiménez started at right-back with Jorge Cestero on the team sheet in central midfield. On the bench, César Palacios and Manuel Ángel would both be rewarded with late cameos to make their Real Madrid debuts. It was a night to forget for most apart from these youngsters, though it is worth noting that they stood out precisely for not standing out. None of the youngsters looked out of their depth alongside their vastly more experienced team-mates, but this was a hostile environment in which they had little time to shine and were under real pressure for much of their time on the field. We’re unlikely to see so many youngsters on the field at once in the near future, but it may not be the last we see of several of these players.
2. What else would Arbeloa change?
It would always be tricky to learn too much from this game given the vast number of rotations and changes made due to injury absences, but there were some tell-tales signs from Álvaro Arbeloa’s team. Operating in a 4-3-3 shape, much more orthodox and offensive than Xabi Alonso had deployed for much of the season, Real Madrid sought to press but with control, and then prioritised rapid counter attacks when possible, even if it came in a game where they dominated 78% of possession. There were sparks of life, but the real insights will come from a much stronger squad on Saturday.
3. Is the Copa del Rey now Real Madrid’s best shot at a trophy this season?
No, not anymore. This seemed to be Los Blancos’ best shot at a direct run at a trophy, where the footing was level for all participants and there weren’t many sides strong enough to stand in Real Madrid’s path. The remaining scenario is a bleak one, with Barcelona four points ahead in La Liga and several rivals looking strong in the Champions League. Four points is is not an irrecoverable lead, and it wouldn’t be the first time that Real Madrid have surprised everyone on the European stage, but Álvaro Arbeloa may be left cursing his luck. With speculation that he may only continue beyond the end of the season if he brings in silverware, this would have been the most straightforward route to success.
Three questions
1. Did Real Madrid underestimate Albacete?
This will be the big question, and truthfully it’s very difficult to say. Real Madrid were missing almost a full line-up of first-team regulars, but, other than Thibaut Courtois, all of them have been handling injury problems. It would have been madness to rush back Kylian Mbappé or Antonio Rüdiger for the sake of a game against Segunda opposition. It was the exact error that Xabi Alonso made too often early in the season, with both of the aforementioned due reported to have played through the pain when it perhaps could have been avoided. Still, there are not believed to be major injury concerns for all of the players who were absent, and the decision to retain only Vinícius Júnior of the core group of stars in the line-up almost certainly would have given Albacete some optimistic hope of an upset.
2. Should Arbeloa take any of the blame?
It would be very difficult to pin much responsibility here on Álvaro Arbeloa. Two set piece goals make that clear, given only a single training session to prepare, even that coming with a squad who had just traveled back from Saudi Arabia and seen their coach sacked. The third Albacete goal was rookie defending from an inexperienced and injury-hit backline and a team desperate to avoid drawing at all costs, overcommitting as a result. “If anyone is responsible, it’s me, because I’m the one who made the decisions about the lineup, how we wanted to play, and the substitutions,” Arbeloa said post-match, but it’s likely that most fans will be more forgiving of his involvement. That isn’t to say that the Bernabéu won’t make its discontent heard on Saturday.
3. What’s the new priority?
Right now, Real Madrid must focus on bouncing back. Their next two fixtures come against 19th-placed Levante at the Bernabéu and then Monaco, who sit 19th in the Champiosn League standings. Anything but back-to-back victories would be a major disappointment for the club but, more importantly, would make any chance of silverware in either competition an even more difficult task. Real Madrid are not as down and out as things might seem, and the season started with aspirations higher than the Copa del Rey, but this nightmare week could very quickly spiral out of control if Real Madrid don’t step up their game both significantly and immediately.
Category: General Sports
