Albacete Balompié secured a 2-1 home victory over FC Cartagena in an International Club Friendly on August 9, 2025. This win in a regional pre-season clash provided Albacete with positive momentum ahead of their league campaign. Albacete started strongly and took a first-half lead, which they doubled early in the second period to seemingly take control. FC Cartagena improved as the game went on and managed to pull a goal back, setting up a tense finish, but Albacete held on to claim the victory. The key performance came from Albacete's midfield, which controlled large portions of the game and provided the platform for the win. This result, though from a friendly, is a morale-boosting one for Albacete against a fellow Spanish side. The Albacete manager praised his team's first-half intensity, while the Cartagena coach will look for a faster start from his team in future matches.