Real Madrid’s shocking defeat to Albacete (2–3) in the Copa del Rey round of 16 was not only an exit from the tournament, but also a psychological blow. After the match, the atmosphere in the dressing room reportedly felt like a real “cold wind”: according to El Chiringuito, there was only silence and not a single player said a word.
It is said the mood was even compared to that of a funeral. In other words, there was no anger and no arguments — simply put, everyone was “frozen” inside. In that moment, head coach Álvaro Arbeloa stepped in and broke the silence.
According to reports, the Spanish coach offered words of support, called for unity, and delivered a message along the lines of “we must come back even stronger from where we’ve broken.” Arbeloa also stressed that the greatest responsibility for the result lies with him.
The point of the speech is simple: looking for someone to blame and “devouring” each other is the easiest path. But at a club like Real, the most important thing is the reaction. The pain of defeat will fade, but the conclusions drawn afterward will shape the team’s future.
As a reminder, after this loss Real Madrid were eliminated from the Copa del Rey, while Albacete will continue in the competition. For the Madrid side, there is now only one way forward: recover mentally as quickly as possible and respond in the next matches “not with words, but with results.”
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