Arbeloa's Madrid Dream Begins With Nightmare Defeat to Second-Tier Albacete

A last-second goal gave Albacete Balompié a stunning 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey. The match, Álvaro Arbeloa's first as Real Madrid manager, ended in a historic upset. Albacete, who are 17th in Spain's second division, scored the winning goal with only one second left in stoppage time. The game started with a 20-minute delay due to heavy fog. When play began, Madrid struggled. Albacete created the memorable moments, culminating in a dramatic late winner. The final whistle sent Madrid's players straight to the locker room. Albacete's fans celebrated at the Carlos Belmonte stadium. "At this club every defeat is a tragedy, so imagine one like this," Arbeloa said after the match. He called the loss painful but stated he is not afraid. "Failure is the road to success," the new manager added.