Malaga CF - What's Happened?

On the 9th April 2013 Malaga CF played the biggest game in the club's history. After investment from wealthy Qatari owner Seikh Abdullah Al Thani, Malaga were playing in the Champions League quarter final against a European Powerhouse in Bourissa Dortmund. That night the Andalusian outfit had talent on display such as Isco, Nacho Monreal, Joaquin and La Liga winning manager Manuel Pellegrini in the dugout.  Malaga looked as if they were heading into the semi finals after Eliseu put Los Boqueranas 2-1 up with eight minutes to play but two late goals from Marco Reus and Felipe Santana  sent Dortmund through. To add insult to injury Santana's goal was offside. Malaga's dream was over. It was quite a rise for Malaga who before the investment in 2011 were a yo-yo team between Primera and Segunda.

Things didn't get any better either. The following season six of the starting eleven that played in the Signal Indua Park departured the club. Despite finishing a respectable sixth Malaga couldn't play in the Europa league in the 13/14 season due to 'unpaid bills'. This was only the start of a few questionable decisions from the owner.

In the 13/14 season manager Manuel Pellegrini left the club to join Manchester City. Malaga appointed former World Cup winner Bernd Schuster as their new manager. The transfer budget had been slashed as the owners stopped investment due to frustration over the TV revenue and World Golden Boy Isco was replaced by Bobley Anderson who has been without a club for two years after failing to make the grade at Ligue 2 side Lb Châteauroux.
The only good signing that Malaga made that season was a loan deal that ended up being permanent in the future which was Nordin Amrabat who joined from Galatasaray. (Amrabat played for Malaga for two and a half seasons before moving to Watford.)

Unsupringly after having a lack of investment from the board Malaga finished 11th and Schuster was sacked as a result.

The following two seasons were consistent for Malaga and they looked like they may be slowly working their way back up the table. Current Everton manager Javi Gracia was appointed and in his first season Los Boquerones finished 9th and were only five points off a Europa League place. Javi Gracia made good use of the transfer market unlike Schuster bringing in players who are still with the club today such as Roberto Rosales and Miguel Torres. Amrabat was also signed on another loan deal. Juanmi was promoted through the academy and famously scored at the Nou Camp after seven minutes to guide Malaga to 1-0 win becoming the first team since Getafe in 2007/08 to keep Barcelona scoreless over two games.

The season after (15/16) Malaga finished 8th and were twelve points off a Europa League spot. Despite this the squad had improved that season. Amrabat signed permanently, Veteran striker Charles signed on a free from Celta Vigo scoring twelve goals and Chory Castro was brung in on a free from Sociedad. However, in the same season he was signed permanently Amrabat departed Malaga for Watford, Sergi Darder was sold to Lyon, academy graduates Samu Garcia and  Samu Castillejo left for Villarreal and Juanmi left for Southampton. By the end of the season as well manager Javi Gracia left for Rubin Kazan in Russia.

The next season was fatal for Malaga. They appointed three different managers during the course of the 16/17 campaign. Juande Ramos took charge until December and got sacked after getting beat in the cup by Cordoba and then losing to Sevilla 4-1 within the space of three days,  then former player Marcelo Romero took charge and won one game in ten and was sacked and then Michel was appointed and he managed to recover the teams form to keep them up and guided them to a mid table finish. The likes of Sandro Ramirez were brung in during the summer who scored against his former club (Barcelona) to guide Malaga to another victory against the champions. Malaga spent €12 million on players that season and apart from Sandro and Jony the other signings that season were pretty forgettable. Another positive was that the likes of Fornals, Juanpi and Ontiveros had all been promoted from Malaga's strong youth academy and had promising seasons.

Malaga's 10th season in a row in Liga was one that was really over before Christmas. Michel took far too long to be sacked into the season and by that time the hole was to deep. Fornals was sold to Villarreal, After several years of wanting to leave Camacho (who was Malaga's best player at the time) left for Wolfsburg and Sandro went to Everton only to return to Sevilla during January much to the annoyance of the Malaguistas. Malaga didn't replace these key players and the board didn't put no where near the amount of investment in to the club. Malaga's departures gave them €30 million, they only spent €10.5 on players. Their top signing Emmanuel Cecchini who was brung in for €4.6 million went on loan halfway through the season, Borja Baston was supposed to be Malaga's main goalscorer as a replacement for Sandro. He scored two goals all season. Sandro the season before got seventeen. Club icons Duda and Weligton left the club leaving a hole full of character left in the dressing room. Samu Garcia was brung in on loan during January to try and put some more firepower up front. He scored zero goals. Zero goals in eighteen games. Unsupringly Malaga finished bottom on twenty points with five wins all season. A new manager was brung in during January called José Manuel González he won two games in nineteen. The atmosphere towards the end of the season was tense and hostile with most of the fans boycotting due to the unpopular way of the club being run.

Malaga's future looks uncertain. The Academy Director has resigned, the Sporting Director is about to do the same, there is no coach in place and Al Thani has no intention to leave.

If Malaga can get the fans back onside and if the board are to start to back the team again then there is no reason as to why Malaga can't compete but for the moment La Roselada is more like a bed of thorns than a rose garden.

James Young.