Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Albacete: Key Star Leads First XI of Arbeloa Era

The Copa del Rey quarterfinal takes place just 48 hours after Xabi Alonso’s departure.

Álvaro Arbeloa will manage his first game for Real Madrid against Albacete. | Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid/Getty Images

Real Madrid travel south to face Albacete in the Copa del Rey round of 16, aiming to start the Álvaro Arbeloa era on a positive note on Wednesday night.

The days leading up to the clash vs. Albacete have been complicated and full of turmoil. A painful 3–2 defeat against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday was the final straw for former manager Xabi Alonso, who exited the club just a day later and only seven months into his tenure.

In comes former player and Real Madrid Castilla manager Arbeloa, who will make his senior managerial debut with the difficult task of replacing Alonso and trying to correct the course of Los Blancos’ season. Regardless of the turmoil, victory against Albacete is imperative for Real Madrid.

Arbeloa will be shorthanded, though. Kylian Mbappé missed the first training session under the new manager as he continues to nurse a nagging knee issue.

Éder Militão and Ferland Mendy remain sidelined, and after a long trip back from Saudi Arabia three days before, the rookie boss could dip into the pool of Castilla players he knows well to try and complete Wednesday’s squad.

Here’s how Real Madrid could line up against Albacete in the Copa del Rey round of 16.

---

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

Vinicius Junior will get the nod in the first game of the Álvaro Arbeloa era. | Maria Jimenez/Real Madrid/Getty Images

GK: Andriy Lunin—Real Madrid’s backup will make his third start of the term and will be eager to secure a clean sheet for his debutant manager.

RB: David Jiménez—The 21-year-old right back made his official debut with Los Blancos last time out in the Copa del Rey, and with Arbeloa now in charge, he’s poised to make his second start for the senior team. Dani Carvajal could come off the bench to make his return from injury in the second half.

CB: Raúl Asencio—The Spaniard has carved himself a more prominent role after barely seeing the pitch earlier in the season. Injuries have contributed to his ascent, but he’s making a case to remain a valuable option for the climax of the term.

CB: David Alaba—The veteran center back made his first appearance since October in the Super Cup final, and his experience will be a much needed asset against Albacete,

LB: Fran García—The former Rayo Vallecano left back has been mostly deployed off the bench this term, but he’s got more than enough quality to make sure Los Blancos don’t miss Álvaro Carreras on Wednesday night.

DM: Eduardo Camavinga—Both Aurélien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde were heavily taxed in the first half of the season so both could get a rest. With Camavinga back to full fitness and with a couple of games under him, he’ll anchor the midfield.

CM: Arda Güler—Güler has seen his role diminish since the turn of the year, so he must make the most of his opportunities impress, especially with a new manager that might not be as keen on finding a role for him as Alonso was to begin his tenure.

CM: Dani Ceballos—It’s games like this where Ceballos’s presence in the squad is so valuable. It’s clear the former Arsenal man is a rotation piece for Los Blancos to deploy and offer rest to more prominent midfielders.

RW: Franco Mastantuono—The Argentine was regularly part of the XI for the first two months of the season, but after battling with pubalgia, he’s started just one game over the past two months. He’ll aim to kickstart his campaign with a strong performance against an inferior opponent.

LW: Vinicius Junior—With both Mbappé and Rodrygo missing training on Tuesday, Vinicius Jr could get the nod on the left wing. He was Real Madrid’s best player in Sunday’s final against Barcelona and he’ll hope to continue the momentum

ST: Gonzalo García—The talented young striker played plenty of time under Arbeloa during his youth career, and with four goals in his last three starts, he’s a penciled in starter for Wednesday’s clash.

The potential first XI of the Álvaro Arbeloa era. | FotMob

---