Franco Mastantuono scored for Real Madrid on Wednesday, but his goal was not enough as the team was eliminated from the Copa del Rey following a 3–2 loss to Albacete in the Round of 16. The match was also the first in charge for new head coach Álvaro Arbeloa.
The Argentine winger started the match and equalized just before halftime. In the 48th minute, Mastantuono reacted quickly inside the box to finish a rebound and make it 1–1. The goal marked his second for Real Madrid and ended a scoring drought that dated back to September 2025, when he had scored against Levante shortly after joining the club.
Mastantuono was substituted in the 77th minute and watched the closing stages from the bench. After late goals at both ends, Albacete secured a 3–2 win with a stoppage-time strike, sealing Madrid’s elimination.
While the result was a setback for Arbeloa in his debut, Mastantuono’s goal provided a positive note, coming after a period with limited minutes following his early run of starts under former coach Xabi Alonso.
