Completed: In the Copa del Rey round of 16 on January 14, 2026, Real Madrid lost 3–2 to Segunda División side Albacete at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte in Spain, resulting in an early exit from the tournament. The match began under foggy conditions and was part of the Spanish domestic cup competition known as the Copa del Rey, attracting widespread attention due to the upset result. This unexpected loss caused the keyword to trend on Google.

Albacete opened the scoring with a header by Javi Villar in the 42nd minute against the run of play, giving the hosts a surprising advantage before halftime. Real Madrid responded with a stoppage-time equalizer by Franco Mastantuono just before the break to make it 1–1.

Early in the second half, Jefté Betancor restored Albacete’s lead with a goal in the 82nd minute, putting the lower-division side ahead once more. Real Madrid fought back again when Gonzalo García scored in added time to level the match at 2–2.

In the final moments of the game, Betancor struck again in the fourth minute of stoppage time, securing a dramatic 3–2 victory for Albacete and eliminating Real Madrid from the competition. The late winner sealed one of the most surprising results in this year’s tournament.

The defeat also marked the managerial debut of Álvaro Arbeloa for Real Madrid following the recent dismissal of his predecessor. Real Madrid’s squad featured several rotated players and the team struggled to convert possession into clear chances throughout the match.

Albacete will advance to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, while Real Madrid’s focus now shifts back to league and European commitments as the club assesses its early cup elimination.

Sources
Albacete stun Real Madrid 3-2 to eliminate Los Blancos from Copa del Rey – Reuters – Reuters
Real Madrid crash out of Copa del Rey at lowly Albacete on Arbeloa debut – Al Jazeera – Al Jazeera
Albacete 3-2 Real Madrid summary: score, stats and highlights | Copa del Rey 2025/26 – AS – AS