The former Los Blancos defender's tenure got off to a disastrous start after Real were beaten 3-2 by second-tier Albacete in the last 16 tie on Wednesday (14.01.26) and Arbeloa admitted that the result was "painful".

He told reporters: "At this club a draw is bad, a tragedy, so imagine a defeat like this.

"It's painful, especially against a lower division team... Obviously we have to improve.

"I'm responsible, I take the decisions: the team, how we want to play, the substitutions. We'll try to recover our morale and physically, and improve for the game on Saturday (17.01.26) [against Levante in LaLiga]."

Arbeloa rested a number of senior players - including Thibaut Courtois, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe - for the cup tie but said he had no regrets about his team selection despite the damaging loss.

The coach said: "I was convinced the squad was the right one, and I still think that. We have an extraordinary squad, with great players. It isn't easy for them to do everything I've asked of them after just one day [in the job]. We have a lot of players to get back to their best physical level.

"I don't regret anything. I'd pick the same team again."

Real defender Dani Carvajal said that the club had hit "rock bottom" after the loss.

The full-back said: "I think we've hit rock bottom today. We've been knocked out by a second-division team. "Congratulations to them. From tomorrow we'll all do some self-criticism, individually and collectively. There's still time to turn the season around."