Alvaro Arbeloa’s first game in charge of Real Madrid ended in a shock defeat to second-tier side Albacete, though the former Liverpool player insisted he is “not afraid of failure.”
Real Madrid swapped one former Liverpool player in the dugout for another when they promoted Arbeloa to replace Xabi Alonso after he was stood down earlier this week.
On paper, Arbeloa, who played 98 times for the Reds between 2007 and 2009, had an easy first game to navigate, but it proved anything but as his side lost the Copa del Rey tie 3-2.
Albacete, currently 17th in the Spanish second-tier, twice took the lead against a Real Madrid outfit that was without the rested Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo, Thibaut Courtois and Jude Bellingham.
David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga and Daniel Carvajal all came on in the second half for Real, when scores were tied at 1-1, but Jefte Betancor’s winner in the 90+4th minute secured a famous victory for Albacete.
Alvaro Arbeloa takes ‘responsibility’ for shock Real Madrid loss
MADRID, SPAIN - Sunday, March 28, 2010: Real Madrid Club de Futbol's Alvaro Arbeloa celebrates scoring a goal against Club Atletico de Madrid during the La Liga Primera Division Madrid Derby match at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. (Pic by Hoch Zwei/Sprimont Press/Propaganda)
“If anyone is responsible and to blame for this outcome, it’s clearly me – the one who made the decisions regarding the line-up, how we wanted to play, the substitutions,” Arbeloa assessed.
“I’m not afraid of failure. I understand anyone who wants to describe this defeat as a failure. Failure is part of the road to success.”
It makes for two cup defeats in succession for Los Blancos, with their Spanish Super Cup loss against Barcelona preceding the departure of Alonso.
Arbeloa’s appointment was already being met with skepticism after he was promoted to the role seven months after being appointed as the head coach of Real Madrid‘s reserve team, and the defeat will only amplify the pressure.
Real Madrid, however, are currently second in La Liga, four points behind Barcelona, and are comfortably placed seventh in the Champions League table with two league phase games remaining.
Arbeloa started his playing career at Real Madrid before moving to Liverpool, where he played alongside Alonso 65 times, before they were reunited in Spain from 2009 to 2014.
After his playing career, Arbeloa returned to Madrid in 2020 to coach at the academy, progressing up the ranks to lead to his opportunity with the first team.