Real Madrid will be looking to secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey when they hit the road to face Albacete.
Following Xabi Alonso’s departure, Alvaro Arbeloa has taken charge as Real Madrid’s boss, and he will be hoping to kick-start his stint with a win against second-tier outfit Albacete away from home in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey.
The home team are certainly not in the best of form as they find themselves 17th on the table in the Spanish second division. They have failed to win any of their last four league games and are heading into this one on the back of a 0-0 draw against Real Sociedad’s B team.
Albacete have taken down San Fernando, Leganes, and Celta Vigo to make it to the round of 16 of the cup competition. They played out a hard-fought 2-2 draw against La Liga outfit Celta Vigo in the last round and eventually won on penalties. While it will certainly give the confidence heading into this fixture, going up against Real Madrid will be a completely different challenge.
The visitors have just parted ways with their manager Xabi Alonso following their 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup. While the Merengues are still very much in the race for major titles, Alonso has called time on his first managerial stint at the club, as he finds it difficult to manage the egos at the club, as per reports.
Arbeloa has been handed the reins of the club on an interim basis, and a trip to Albacete is set to be his first assignment. Los Blancos took down CF Talavera in the last round of the Copa del Rey. While they are heading into this fixture on the back of a defeat, they have enough in their tanks to take down a struggling second division team. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Albacete
The home team have no fresh injury concerns heading into this fixture against Real Madrid, which means there are high chances that head coach Gonzalez could name the same XI that started against Celta Vigo.
Albacete will line up in a 5-4-1 formation, where Raul Lizoain will take charge between the sticks. Lorenzo Aguado and Jonathan Gomez will feature as the wing-backs, while Javi Villar will start alongside Javi Moreno and Carlos Neva in the heart of the defence.
Antonio Puertas and Victor Valverde will feature out wide on the flanks, while Capi will partner with Ale Melendez in a more central area on the pitch. They will look to ensure Real Madrid do not boss the ball too deep in their half. Finally, Jefte Betancor will lead the line for Albacete against Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (5-4-1): Lizoain; Lorenzo, Moreno, Villar, Neva, Gomez; Puertas, Capi, Melendez, Valverde; Betancor
Real Madrid
Alvaro Arbeloa will be without the services of Trent Alexander-Arnold (thigh), Eder Militao (hamstring), Brahim Diaz (AFCON), and Ferland Mendy (hamstring) in his first match as Real Madrid’s manager.
Meanwhile, Antonio Rudiger (knee) and Federico Valverde (knee) are also major doubts following knocks in their last outing. Dean Huijsen will undergo a late fitness test to determine his availability, while Kylian Mbappe is unlikely to play a part despite having made a return in their last outing.
The visitors will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Andriy Lunin will take charge in goal. Dani Carvajal could make a return to the starting XI. He will take charge on the right flank, while Fran Garcia will be the left-back. In the heart of the defence, David Alaba could start alongside Alvaro Carreras.
As for the midfield unit, Dani Ceballos could feature in the holding role in the centre of the park, while Arda Guler and Thiago Pitarch could be in his support. Pitarch could be handed his Real Madrid debut here.
In the final third, Rodrygo and Franco Mastantuono will take charge on the flanks, while Gonzalo Garcia will spearhead the Real Madrid attack against Albacete on Wednesday night.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Lunin; Carvajal, Alaba, Carreras, Fran Garcia; Guler, Ceballos, Pitarch; Rodrygo, Gonzalo Garcia, Mastantuono
Key Stats
- Albacete are looking to secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey for the first time since 1994/95.
- Los Blancos are the third most successful team in the competition, having won it on 20 occasions.
- Real Madrid last won the Copa del Rey back in the 2022/23 season.
- The capital giants suffered defeat in last year’s final at the hands of rivals Barcelona.
- Albacete are yet to get the better of Real Madrid, having played them on 14 occasions in the past. The last meeting between the two teams took place in April 2005, when Los Blancos won 2-1.
Player to Watch
Arda Guler
Guler was off to a flying start to the season under Xabi Alonso. The Turkish international was one of their standout performers alongside Kylian Mbappe in the initial phase of the season. However, things have not been that great for him in recent weeks.
Following Jude Bellingham’s return to full fitness, the 20-year-old has had limited game time, and he has not had the desired impact. Guler will be eager to add to his tally of 11 goal contributions when he takes the field against Albacete. It will be a great opportunity for the youngster to make an impression on Arbeloa and push for an important role under him.
Prediction
Albacete 0-3 Real Madrid
Albacete will take confidence from their impressive cup run so far, but their struggles in the league underline the size of the task they face. Expect the hosts to adopt a cautious approach, sit deep, and try to frustrate Real Madrid with numbers behind the ball.
Real Madrid, despite the managerial change and a rotated squad, should have enough quality to control proceedings. Alvaro Arbeloa will be keen to make a positive first impression, and his side are likely to dominate possession and gradually wear Albacete down.
If Los Blancos are clinical in the final third, they should secure a comfortable win and book their place in the quarter-finals without too much trouble. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-0 win for Alvaro Arbeloa and his charges.
