Pacheco pens new deal as Cedeño faces surgery nightmare at Albacete
Mixed fortunes at Albacete as midfield maestro Pacheco extends contract to 2028 while January signing Cedeño heads for the operating table after training injury.
One man’s bread is another man’s poison at Albacete this week, with contrasting fortunes for two of their players creating proper chalk and cheese scenarios at the Carlos Belmonte.
Pacheco commits long-term
In a massive boost for the Manchego outfit, midfield orchestrator Antonio Pacheco has put pen to paper on a fresh deal that keeps him at the club until June 2028. The Alicante-born midfielder, who was already tied down until 2027, has extended his stay by an additional year as part of what the club describes as their “plan for stability and growth”.
Pacheco joined from Villarreal in summer 2023 and has rapidly established himself as an absolute diamond in Albacete’s engine room. The lad’s racked up 78 appearances already and has the fans eating out of his hand - evidenced by the thunderous ovation he received when subbed off during Sunday’s victory against Cádiz.
He follows fellow midfielder Agus Medina in committing his future to the club, with Medina recently extending his own deal by two seasons.
Cedeño’s cruel blow
On the flip side, there’s heartbreak for Panamanian Edward Cedeño, one of Albacete’s three January window acquisitions. The new boy has suffered a proper nightmare after picking up a serious injury during training this week.
Cedeño will go under the knife next Tuesday at Barcelona’s Quirón clinic for surgery on the rectus femoris tendon in his right leg. The club hasn’t provided a timeline for his recovery, but this type of injury typically means:
- A lengthy rehabilitation process
- Months on the sidelines
- A significant setback for both player and club
It’s a brutal stroke of bad luck for the winter signing who barely had time to find his feet at his new club before disaster struck on the training pitch.
What next for Albacete?
The Segunda División side will now need to adapt their plans accordingly - leaning more heavily on Pacheco’s leadership in midfield while potentially exploring other options to cover for Cedeño’s absence.
For Albacete fans, it’s a bittersweet week that perfectly captures the unpredictable nature of football - champagne moments and gut punches all in the space of a few days.