Could a manager really be sacked after one game?
In any normal circumstances, almost certainly not. Then again, Real Madrid are not just a normal football club.
After Xabi Alonso left his post as head coach in the wake of the Spanish Super Cup loss to Barcelona, Madrid immediately promoted Alvaro Arbeloa from the reserve-team role to the top job. It was hoped that, as a former player who has spent a few years earning his stripes as a coach within the Madrid set-up, Arbeloa would be primed to get the team back on track.
Instead, January 14 saw them suffer 3-2 a Copa del Rey loss to Albacete — one of the biggest upsets in recent years and undoubtedly one of Madrid's most embarrassing results this century.
So, could Arbeloa really be fighting for his job already?
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Will Real Madrid sack Alvaro Arbeloa?
There is no immediate suggestion that Arbeloa could be sacked after just one game in charge, but his position has undeniably been weakened, perhaps considerably so.
It is hard to overstate the magnitude of this defeat in terms of its shock value, given Madrid's status as arguably the biggest club in the world and the fact Albacete are struggling in the lower reaches of Spain's second division. It's not quite Macclesfield beating Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, but it's not too far removed.
Still, Madrid had long earmarked Arbeloa has a potential head coach, and it is unlikely even a club as erratic in its decision-making as Los Blancos will make another change so quickly. In fact, the Albacete result has arguably placed greater scrutiny on the players rather than the man in charge.
AS reported on January 15 that Madrid's first-team stars will be given "a loud and clear message" from the club's hierarchy that, with Alonso now gone, they can no longer hide behind alleged disharmony with the coach when they do not deliver results. "Arbeloa has the club's confidence, and that will continue," the report says, adding that some insiders believe the Albacete loss would not have happened had Madrid changed coach sooner.
But the pressure on Arbeloa, which was already high, has increased. BBC Spanish football reporter Elizabeth Conway wrote that "many fans I have spoken to since Arbeloa's appointment were openly perplexed by the decision [to hire him]" and that "whatever patience Arbeloa might have hoped Madridistas would give him has eroded instantly." Failure to beat Levante this weekend will only make things worse.
MORE: Why Xabi Alonso left Real Madrid | All about new Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa
Alvaro Arbeloa takes blame for shock loss to Albacete
Arbeloa, who left out the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham for the cup match, accepted responsibility for the defeat.
Despite having 75% of the possession, Madrid had only five shots on target to Albacete's six, highlighting their susceptibility to the counter-attack. Franco Mastantuono cancelled out Javi Villar's opener, and Gonzalo Garcia did likewise in the 91st minute after Jefte Betancor restored Albacete's lead.
Yet Betancor was inexplicably given time and space in the penalty area to clip a superb finish past Andriy Lunin with practically the last kick of the game.
"If anyone is responsible and to blame for this outcome, it's clearly me — the one who made the decisions regarding the lineup, how we wanted to play, the substitutions," he said.
"At this club, every defeat is a tragedy, so imagine one like this.
"I'm not afraid of failure. I understand anyone who wants to describe this defeat as a failure. Failure is part of the road to success.
"It will make me better, and it will make us all better. I've endured defeats harder than this one. We'll prepare for the next match with maximum dedication."
Club captain Dani Carvajal, meanwhile, made it clear where he thought the blame must lie.
"We've hit rock bottom, spectacularly," he said. "We have to face the music even when we lose, and that's what we have to do now. We, the players, are ultimately responsible. There's little more I can say.
"We apologise to the fans. We aren't, myself included, living up to the expectations of this club, and we'll give our all in the coming months to turn things around."
Are Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey?
Copa del Rey regulations were changed back in 2019/20, and as part of the overhaul, two-legged ties were scrapped up to and including the quarterfinals.
That means Real Madrid's defeat to Albacete means they are out of the competition in 2025/26. It's their first cup elimination at the hands of a lower-league side since they lost 2-1 to Alcoyano in January 2021.
Real Madrid fixture schedule
After facing Levante, Madrid have a UEFA Champions League match at home to Monaco, which they need to win to keep their hopes of automatic qualification to the Round of 16 in their own hands.
They then head to third-place Villarreal before the Champions League league phase concludes on January 28 with a visit to Jose Mourinho's Benfica.
Real Madrid upcoming matches
- Real Madrid vs. Levante | La Liga | Saturday, January 17
- Real Madrid vs. Monaco | UEFA Champions League | Tuesday, January 20
- Villarreal vs. Real Madrid | La Liga | Saturday, January 24
- Benfica vs. Real Madrid | UEFA Champions League | Wednesday, January 28
- Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano | La Liga | Saturday, February 1
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