The Round of 16 Copa del Rey match between Albacete Balompié and Real Madrid will take place on 14 January at Carlos Belmonte stadium. Albacete Balompié vs Real Madrid: prediction, betting odds and statistics.
Albacete Balompié
Albacete Balompié progressed through three rounds in the current edition of the tournament, thrashing San Fernando (3:0), beating Leganes (2:1) and in the previous round overcoming Celta Vigo (2:2, extra time 0:0, pen. 3:0). The team has scored in four consecutive Copa del Rey matches, but the club kept a clean sheet in only one of its last five matches in this competition. The club cannot boast significant achievements in the national cup: the last time it reached the Round of 16 was in the 2011/12 season.
- Albacete Balompié conceded more than one goal in only 2 of their last 12 Copa del Rey matches.
- At home in this competition the club has not lost in 12 of the previous 14 matches (9 wins and 3 draws in regulation time).
- Both teams scored in 6 of the last 8 home matches for the club in the Copa del Rey.
Potential Albacete Balompié Lineup (4-4-2)*
Diego Mariño – Fran Gámez, Carlos Neva, Jesus Vallejo, Jonathan Gomez – Riky Rodriguez, Alejandro Melendez, Jose Carlos Laso, Victor Valverde – Agus Medina, Jefte Betancor.
Midfielder Antonio Puertas, forward Iginio Marin and defender Jon Garcia are injured.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid entered the current edition of the national cup in the previous round, where they narrowly beat Talavera (3:2). Last season Real Madrid reached the final but failed to win a 21st Copa del Rey title, losing to Barcelona. In regulation time the club has been unbeaten in 10 of its previous 11 matches in this competition (7 wins, 3 draws). The team concedes relatively often in the Copa del Rey for a club of this level: they conceded in 8 of their last 10 matches. The club has progressed past the Round of 16 for five consecutive seasons.
- At least four goals were scored in regulation time in 8 of Real Madrid's last 9 Copa del Rey matches.
- In 7 of the last 8 away matches in the national cup the club scored at least twice.
- On the road in this competition Real Madrid won in regulation time in 8 of the previous 9 matches (1 draw).
Potential Real Madrid Lineup (4-3-3)*
Thibaut Courtois – Raul Asensio, Federico Valverde, Dean Heisen, Alvaro Carreras – Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham – Rodrigo, Vinicius Junior, Gonzalo Garcia.
Midfielder Brahim Diaz is with his national team. Due to injury the match will be missed by forward Kylian Mbappe, defenders Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Eder Militao. Thibaut Courtois, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham and Alvaro Carreras were given rest.
Referee
Victor Garcia (Spain)
Matches – 11 (La Liga and Copa del Rey, 2025/26);
Shown yellow/second yellow – 31;
Average yellow cards per match – 2.8;
Shown red cards – 0;
Fouls average per match – 22;
Penalties – 9%.
Albacete Balompié vs Real Madrid: Match Prediction
In the previous round Albacete Balompié managed to get past a La Liga opponent, but it is unlikely that the hosts will repeat that feat in the Round of 16. One of European football's heavyweights is coming to visit, and they are also not in the best spirits after the Supercopa defeat. Even rotation should not prevent Real Madrid from progressing, given the significant difference in class between the sides. In the national cup Real Madrid show excellent results, winning in regulation time in 8 of the last 9 away matches. On that run the team scored at least three goals in 6 matches.
Albacete Balompié are fighting to avoid relegation in Segunda, sitting just one point above the drop zone. One of the club's main problems is a weak defense: by goals conceded the team is among the three worst in the division. Even in the national cup, where the club mainly faces lower-division opponents, matters have not been better. Therefore the team rarely goes far in this competition, and it will be very difficult to offer serious resistance to one of the most decorated clubs in the history of the Copa del Rey.
Our prediction – Real Madrid to win and Over 2.5 goals.
Prediction: Real Madrid To Win And Over 2.5 Goals
* For each team, the starting lineup shown is from their previous match.
