Arbeloa's Real Madrid Debut: Star Player Spearheads Explosive First XI Against Albacete

Real Madrid head south to take on Albacete in the Copa del Rey last 16, looking to begin the Álvaro Arbeloa chapter with a winning performance on Wednesday evening.

The preparation for the match against Albacete has been challenging and filled with upheaval. A heartbreaking 3–2 loss to Barcelona in Sunday's Spanish Super Cup final proved to be the breaking point for former coach Xabi Alonso, who departed the club just one day afterward and merely seven months into his appointment.

Enter former player and Real Madrid Castilla coach Arbeloa, who will take charge of his first senior match with the challenging responsibility of succeeding Alonso and attempting to get Los Blancos' campaign back on track. Despite the chaos, securing a win against Albacete is crucial for Real Madrid.

Arbeloa will be working with a depleted squad, however. Kylian Mbappé was absent from the initial training session under the new coach as he continues to manage a persistent knee problem.

Éder Militão and Ferland Mendy are still unavailable, and following an extended journey back from Saudi Arabia three days prior, the inexperienced manager might turn to the group of Castilla players he's familiar with to help fill out Wednesday's roster.

Here's how Real Madrid might set up against Albacete in the Copa del Rey last 16.

Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Albacete (4-3-3)

Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Albacete (4-3-3)

GK: Andriy Lunin—Real Madrid's second-choice keeper will earn his third appearance of the campaign and will be determined to keep a clean sheet for his new manager.

RB: David Jiménez—The 21-year-old fullback made his official bow with Los Blancos in their previous Copa del Rey outing, and with Arbeloa now at the helm, he's set to earn his second senior start. Dani Carvajal might enter as a substitute to mark his injury comeback in the latter stages.

CB: Raúl Asencio—The Spanish defender has established a more significant presence after receiving minimal playing time earlier this season. Injuries have aided his rise, but he's demonstrating his worth as a reliable option for the remainder of the campaign.

CB: David Alaba—The experienced center-half returned to action for the first time since October in the Super Cup final, and his leadership will be an essential component against Albacete.

LB: Fran García—The ex-Rayo Vallecano defender has primarily been used as a substitute this season, but he possesses sufficient ability to ensure Los Blancos don't feel the absence of Álvaro Carreras on Wednesday evening.

DM: Eduardo Camavinga—With both Aurélien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde heavily utilized in the season's first half, both could receive some respite. Now that Camavinga has returned to peak condition with several matches behind him, he'll control the midfield.

CM: Arda Güler—Güler has witnessed his involvement decrease since the new year began, so he needs to capitalize on his chances to make an impression, particularly with a fresh manager who may not be as committed to finding him a position as Alonso was initially.

CM: Dani Ceballos—These are the fixtures where Ceballos's squad presence proves invaluable. The former Arsenal midfielder clearly serves as a rotational option for Los Blancos to utilize while giving key midfielders a break.

RW: Franco Mastantuono—The Argentine was consistently featured in the starting eleven during the season's opening two months, but after struggling with pubalgia, he's only started once in the last two months. He'll look to revitalize his season with an impressive display against weaker opposition.

LW: Vinicius Junior—With both Mbappé and Rodrygo absent from Tuesday's training, Vinicius Jr might be deployed on the left flank. He was Real Madrid's standout performer in Sunday's final versus Barcelona and will seek to maintain that form.

ST: Gonzalo García—The promising young forward enjoyed considerable playing time under Arbeloa during his youth development, and with four goals in his previous three starts, he's expected to lead the line for Wednesday's encounter.