Historic Night for Albacete as They Knock Real Madrid Out of the Copa del Rey

Albacete secured one of the greatest victories in their club history after eliminating Real Madrid in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. The Segunda División side stunned the Spanish giants with a dramatic 3–2 win decided in stoppage time, sending the Merengues crashing out of the competition.

The result was remarkable not only for what happened on the pitch, but also for the motivational message delivered beforehand by head coach Alberto González, whose words helped shape the outcome of the match. Real Madrid entered the tie expecting to advance, but instead ran into an organized, intense and fearless Albacete side that refused to be overawed by the moment.

The match remained finely balanced throughout regulation time, with tension rising as the clock ticked down. The drama exploded in added time, when a series of late goals completely changed the destiny of the tie and pushed the club from Castilla-La Mancha into the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.

Minutes before kickoff, the Albacete squad gathered in the dressing room to hear their coach’s final message. In an audio clip released after the game, Alberto González could be heard firing up his players with a speech rooted in belief and history:

“Let’s go! Gentlemen, Real Madrid has never beaten Albacete in our history. Do you know why? Because today is the day. This moment was reserved for today.”

The closing moments were unforgettable. Gonzalo García appeared to rescue Real Madrid with a 2–2 equalizer in stoppage time, seemingly forcing extra time. But Albacete struck back almost immediately, as Jefté Betancor scored the decisive 3–2 goal just four minutes later to complete the upset.

After the final whistle, a visibly emotional Alberto González praised his players and acknowledged the magnitude of the achievement.

“We are euphoric after eliminating a giant like Real Madrid. Now we have to process it and fully understand what we’ve accomplished,” he said.

With this historic victory, Albacete move on to the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, while Real Madrid exit the competition in a match that will be remembered as one of the tournament’s great shocks.