Wednesday night saw a stunning upset in the Copa del Rey Round of 16, as Albacete eliminated last year’s finalists, Real Madrid.
Albacete 3-2 Real Madrid: The Tournament’s Biggest Upset
Image via Denis Doyle/Getty Images
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The headline featured Albacete’s remarkable victory over Real Madrid at the Carlos Belmonte stadium, where Jefte netted his second goal, clinching the win just moments before the final whistle. Though Real Madrid left behind stars Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, Albacete also made significant changes, fielding eight substitutes from their usual starting lineup. They went ahead just before the break, thanks to Javi Villar’s goal from a corner kick.
Franco Mastantuono then equalized for Real Madrid from another set-piece, sending both teams into halftime on even terms. Gonzalo Garcia scored a late equalizer for Albacete to match Jefte’s earlier goal, before the eventual winner sealed the deal. Impressively, manager Alberto Gonzalez predicted their triumph in the locker room prior to the match.
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Real Betis 2-1 Elche: Chimy Avila Leads the Comeback
Elche arrived at the Benito Villamarin as potential upset contenders and created more chances in the opening half. Theo Petrot capitalized on a loose ball in the box to put Eder Sarabia’s side ahead just before the hour mark. Despite having the lead, Elche struggled to maintain control in the second half, allowing Chimy Avila to equalize ten minutes later with a powerful shot following a Pablo Fornals assist.
Avila, who has been linked with a potential transfer, scored the decisive goal near the end with a composed finish at the near post, following a setup from Aitor Ruibal. The goal came amidst loud protests from Elche over a possible foul in the buildup.
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Alaves 2-0 Rayo Vallecano: Basque Teams Thrive in Quarter-Finals
Both teams made substantial changes at Mendizorrotza, with Alaves keen to snap a streak of three defeats in four matches, while Rayo was looking to build on their first win in eight La Liga encounters. The second half had barely started when Toni Martinez scored the opener from a messy series of plays. Alaves received a boost when Isi Palazon was dismissed with 20 minutes left for a high challenge.
With just a minute remaining, Carlos Vicente added the second goal. Rayo’s Dani Cardenas attempted to intercept a ball played behind the defense, but Vicente took advantage of the clearance and calmly rolled the ball into the net. After the hard-fought victories for Athletic Club and Real Sociedad, Alaves completes the lineup with three Basque teams in the quarter-finals.