For football enthusiasts, the return of Deportivo La Coruna, Racing Santander, and Malaga to La Liga is a deeply significant moment, a testament to resilience and a renewed sense of purpose. For the past 30 years, all three clubs have been synonymous with Spain’s top flight, but a series of financial difficulties and managerial instability led to their relegation from professional football.
Ten years after stunning Europe’s elite in the Champions League, Malaga appeared to be at the bottom of the pyramid – a second-tier club with minimal resources and a lack of ownership. However, a dedicated group of youngsters, an unconventional coach, and a passionate fanbase refused to surrender, fueling a remarkable resurgence.
The story began on April 9, 2013, when Malaga were minutes away from reaching the Champions League semi-finals. The competition debutants, led by ten-year-old striker Chupe, defied expectations, defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in a heartbreaking defeat. Despite this initial setback, Malaga’s unwavering determination and a shrewd approach to player acquisitions quickly began to shift the landscape.
The club’s transformation was spearheaded by Qatari Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani, who, in 2010, acquired what had traditionally been a second-tier club and embarked on a significant overhaul. Manuel Pellegrini was appointed manager, bringing in quality players including Santi Cazorla, Jeremy Toulalan, Ruud van Nistelrooy, and promising youngster Isco. However, Pellegrini’s tenure, while initially successful, ultimately morphed into a decade of decline as the team struggled to consistently compete at the highest level.
The following season, Malaga was banned from the Europa League for breaching Uefa’s financial fair play rules, further straining their finances. Mounting debts necessitated player sales, and relegation from La Liga followed in 2018. Two years later, a regional court ordered Al-Thani’s removal due to alleged misappropriation of funds. European and international arrest warrants have been issued against the Sheikh and his three sons, with prosecutors seeking prison sentences totaling 14 and a half years for alleged misappropriation, unfair administration, and abusive corporate decisions.
Court-appointed administrator Jose Maria Munoz has overseen operations since 2020, navigating a challenging financial situation. Fire sales and reliance on free agents and loan signings helped stabilize the club’s financial position, but in 2023, a threadbare squad slipped into the regionalised third division.
“I was at the last game in the second division against Ibiza. Both teams were already relegated and it was like a funeral,” said Matt Harrison, a podcaster and Malaga season-ticket holder. “A group of local businessmen discussed plans to form a phoenix club in the event Malaga faded into obscurity.”
The local community rallied around the team, adopting a catchy song, ‘Es la Vida Loca,’ which quickly became the team’s anthem. The fans’ unwavering support and the club’s increasingly entertaining style of play sparked a renewed passion for football, with fans welcoming the team bus to the stadium with flags and pyrotechnics.
The club’s average attendance last season was the 11th-highest in the country, but only a few hundred tickets were available for the game in Almeria. Yet, after what they have been through that should not phase them.
Malaga’s story is beautifully convoluted, with a complex web of financial turmoil and managerial changes. The team’s initial struggles have been compounded by the club’s history of financial instability. However, the renewed focus on youth development and a passionate fanbase has rekindled the flame, demonstrating a remarkable determination to reclaim their place in La Liga. The club is now facing daunting trips to Atletico Madrid (Wednesday, 20:00 BST kick-off) and Real Madrid, but the players bought into Funes’ ideas from day one.
Sergio Pellicer, in his second spell as manager, followed promotion with a 16th-place finish in the second division, but began the next season with just four wins in 14 games. He was replaced by reserve-team boss Juan Francisco Funes, who had never played or coached in professional football.
Funes draws on his teaching experience, using historical quotes and films to motivate and convey ideas to a young group.
He is likely not the only coach to draw inspiration from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, but he might be the first to use Kung Fu Panda to aid a promotion push.
The players bought into Funes’ ideas from day one.
Funes speaks about his players like they are his children, once affectionately describing them in an interview as ‘los bichos.’ The colloquial term used to describe talented people soon became the team’s nickname.
After finishing fourth, the 2025-26 season boiled down to a play-off final against Almeria.
Malaga had one of the smallest budgets in the division and had spent just £325,000 on permanent transfers since 2020. Almeria spent more than £10m that season alone.
After a goalless home draw in the first leg, hundreds of fans lined motorway bridges heading out of the city to wave the team on their way to Almeria.
It was a sight symptomatic of the strong bond forged between the team and its fanbase in recent years. It became a common occurrence for fans to welcome the team bus to the stadium with flags and pyrotechnics.
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Source: BBC Football
