Real Madrid head to Estadio Carlos Belmonte to take on La Liga 2 outfit Albacete in Wednesday night’s Copa del Rey Round of 16 clash.
Real Madrid team news
The Spanish giants enter this tie amid a major coaching shake-up. Castilla boss Alvaro Arbeloa steps up as interim head coach following Xabi Alonso’s mutual exit on January 13.
This marks Arbeloa’s debut game with the senior squad, bolstered by his two-decade connection to the club and strong ties to president Florentino Perez.
Real Madrid’s injury woes loom large for the matchup. Trent Alexander-Arnold (thigh), Eder Militão (hamstring), and Brahim Díaz (Africa Cup of Nations duty for Morocco) remain sidelined, with Ferland Mendy also questionable after a recent hamstring setback.
Antonio Rudiger stays behind in Madrid nursing a knee issue, after overexerting in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal. Federico Valverde carries a slight question mark post his knee-related substitution request during the final, pending a final fitness check.
Vinícius Junior endured heavy cramping and exhaustion in the Super Cup decider but avoided damage, leaving his participation hinging on rest over the next day or so. Rodrygo, meanwhile, sat out practice grappling with ongoing issues from the semi-final clash versus Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid predicted lineup
Possible Real Madrid starting XI: Lunin; Jiménez, Asencio, Alaba, García; Güler, Camavinga, Ceballos; Mastantuono, García, Vinicius Jr.
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 8pm BST on Wednesday, 14th January.
How to watch Albacete vs Real Madrid?
Viewers from the United Kingdom can catch the action live on Sky Sports’ free-to-air Channel 5, or stream it exclusively through DAZN’s platform.
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