Mighty Málaga

Málaga CF (FM19 Profile)

The ‘Mighty Málaga’ series see’s me take the reins at Málaga CF in the 2nd division of Spanish football on FM19.

  1. Málaga CF (FM19 Profile)
  2. Welcome to the Port City of Costa del Sol
  3. One Nil to the Boquerones
  4. Málaga Marching On
Málaga are a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Spain. They currently play in Segunda División, the second division of Spanish football, having been relegated from La Liga in 2018.

Finances

Transfer budget: £3.8M

Nicknames

  • Boquerones (Anchovies)
  • Albicelestes (The White and Sky Blue)

Facilities

Stadium: La Rosaleda Stadium
Capacity: 28,963 all-seater
Year Built: 1941 (rebuilt in 2006)
Stadium Condition: Good
Corporate Facilities: Adequate
Training Facilities: Good
Data Analysis Facilities: Basic
Youth Facilities: Good
Junior Coaching: Adequate
Youth Recruitment: Above average

Background

Málaga have a respectable history in European competitions. In 2002 they won the UEFA Intertoto Cup and qualified for the following season’s UEFA Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals. In the 2012/13 season they qualified for the UEFA Champions League, where they were quarter-finalists.

Since June 2010, the owner of the club has been Abdullah ben Nasser Al Thani, an investor from Qatar. Earlier in 2010, then-president Fernando Sanz found investments at Doha in Qatar and entered in conversations with sheikh Abdullah ben Nasser Al Thani. After negotiations, Al Thani became the entity’s new owner and was named president.

Following this, the club went on to sign prominent players such as Salomón Rondón and Eliseu. Later that year, Manuel Pellegrini was named as head coach. “The Caretaker” strengthened the squad with some well known names such as Martín Demichelis and Júlio Baptista. They finished the 2010/11 La Liga season in 11th place.

In preparation for the 2011/12 season, more prominent signings included Ruud van Nistelrooy, Jérémy Toulalan and the most expensive signing in the club’s history, Santi Cazorla, who arrived from Villarreal in a €21 million deal. Less prominent players like Isco, former Spanish international midfielder Joaquín and left back Nacho Monreal, were key in the successful season which followed for Málaga. For the first time in its history, the club qualified for the Champions League after finishing the 2011/12 La Liga campaign in fourth place. Malaga made it out of the group stage unbeaten and went as far as the quarter finals, which they lost to Borussia Dortmund in controversial circumstances.

The following season, Málaga were banned by UEFA for its debts. The club was excluded from the 2013/14 Europa League.

In the summer of 2013, Isco was sold to Real Madrid, Joaquín to Fiorentina and midfielder Jérémy Toulalan to Monaco. Following 2013, Málaga encountered a steady decline that would result in them finishing in a lower position in the league each year until they were eventually relegated in 2018.

Málaga play their home fixtures at Estadio de La Rosaleda.

Past Managers

Juande Ramos, Manuel Pellegrini.

Past Players

Isco, Joaquín, Jérémy Toulalan, Willy Caballero, Javier Saviola, Martin Demichelis, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Roque Santa Cruz, Fernando Hierro, Santi Cazorla, Nacho Noreal, Ignacio Camacho, Salomón Rondón.

 

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