Real Madrid embarrassed but Álvaro Arbeloa is not to blame

Álvaro Arbeloa was not solely to blame, just as Xabi Alonso was not either. But Real Madrid’s embarrassing loss to second-division Albacete on Wednesday night made clear that something is very wrong.

The shock Copa del Rey exit laid bare Madrid’s current shortcomings in the worst possible debut for the new manager. Nothing could be fixed in a single day but the image the team projected was alarming. A well-drilled and confident Albacete side sensed vulnerability from the start and fully deserved their victory.

For his first game in charge, Arbeloa opted for a starting lineup that leaned on academy prospects such as David Jiménez and Cestero while giving Arda Güler and Franco Mastantuono a chance to stake a claim under the new management. Neither managed to change the dynamic of the match, with the Argentine in particular looking lost. It was another missed opportunity that underlined how far Mastantuono, despite his first-half goal, remains from the level required to establish himself at the club.

Still, placing the blame on individual players would be misguided. Real Madrid’s issues are structural: a lack of collective creativity and alarmingly poor defensive execution. Under those conditions, competing becomes nearly impossible. The team never truly imposed itself on Albacete, settling instead for a hollow and artificial sense of control. Slow circulation of the ball and a complete absence of individual initiative surrendered momentum to the hosts.

Vinícius was neutralized through constant double marking and Loren, a former Madrid youth player, became the immovable obstacle against which a lifeless home side eventually broke.

As has become routine, Real Madrid showed no depth and no capacity to surprise. Their football was flat and predictable, with no overlapping runs and no penetration behind the defensive line. Width was used without conviction, crosses arrived without purpose and set pieces became the only attacking resource for Arbeloa’s team. Given the overall performance, defeat felt inevitable.

The outcome was a complete failure, a chastening start for the new Madrid head coach. However Arbeloa should not be judged too harshly on this first outing. The focus must instead be on strengthening a squad that lacks clarity and balance. There is a shortage of talent, midfield quality and defensive solidity. In short, a lack of everything. And this situation cannot be attributed to the current manager alone.