New Actual Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa took duty for the group’s “painful” 3-2 Copa del Rey defeat to second-tier Albacete on Wednesday, defending his resolution to relaxation quite a few senior gamers.
A 94th-minute winner from Jefte Betancor gave Albacete — presently seventeenth within the second division — their first win over Madrid, after Gonzalo García regarded to have compelled further time on the Estadio Carlos Belmonte with a 91st minute header.
Arbeloa took cost of Madrid on Tuesday, stepping up from teaching the reserve group after the departure of Xabi Alonso.
“At this membership a draw is dangerous, a tragedy, so think about a defeat like this,” Arbeloa mentioned in his postmatch information convention. “It is painful, particularly towards a decrease division group. … Clearly now we have to enhance.
“I am accountable, I take the choices: the group, how we wish to play, the substitutions. We’ll attempt to get better our morale and bodily, and enhance for the sport on Saturday [against Levante in LaLiga].”
Madrid’s Copa exit got here solely three days after they had been crushed by Barcelona within the Spanish Supercopa remaining in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a end result that preceded Alonso’s removing as coach.
Arbeloa left a number of key gamers out of the squad for the journey to Albacete, together with Thibaut Courtois, Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Álvaro Carreras, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappé, who has been struggling due to a knee sprain.
“I used to be satisfied the squad was the suitable one, and I nonetheless suppose that,” Arbeloa mentioned. “We now have a rare squad, with nice gamers. It is not straightforward for them to do all the things I’ve requested of them after simply in the future [in the job]. We now have quite a lot of gamers to get again to their greatest bodily degree.
“I do not remorse something. I might choose the identical group once more.”
Madrid had beforehand progressed solely to the spherical of 16 of the Copa, needing an Mbappé brace to beat third-tier Talavera de la Reina 3-2 in December.
“I believe we have hit all-time low immediately,” defender Dani Carvajal instructed reporters. “We have been knocked out by a second-division group. Congratulations to them. From tomorrow we’ll all do some self-criticism, individually and collectively. There’s nonetheless time to show the season round.”
Stated Arbeloa: “If individuals wish to describe this as a failure I might perceive it. For me, failure lies on the best way to success. … I do not concern that phrase. I’ve failed quite a bit in my life, I’ve suffered defeats in cups, I am enthusiastic about attending to Valdebebas tomorrow and dealing with the gamers, to [play] significantly better on Saturday.”
The brand new coach cited the necessity for his squad to enhance bodily, and refused to view the cup elimination as a constructive by way of lowering the workload going ahead.
“Shedding is rarely a aid at Actual Madrid,” Arbeloa mentioned. “Clearly it will possibly have some constructive penalties, but it surely wasn’t our goal to lose immediately. Bodily now we have an enormous margin to enhance, that is what [fitness coach] Antonio [Pintus] is right here for, I believe we want that.”
Emotional scenes on the remaining whistle noticed Albacete’s gamers carry out a lap of honor, whereas former Madrid defender Jesus Vallejo — who sat out Wednesday’s sport due to damage — left the sphere in tears.
“It is the most important factor I’ve ever skilled in soccer,” matchwinner Betancor mentioned. “It is what you dream about.
“9 years in the past I needed to depart soccer. Now, by dreaming, and dealing exhausting, look the place we’re. I believe we deserved it.”
