Malaga FC to play Panathinaikos in the play-off for Champions
This morning’s draw for the Champions league play-off sees Málaga pitched against Panathinaikos in a 2-way leg starting in Málaga with the return match in Athens.
Given all the bad and unsettling news coming out of the club in recent days, this is by no means an easy match. Santi Cazorla has gone to Arsenal and their main forward, Rondon, to Rubin Kazan and Mathijsen may be transferred to Feyenoord. Furthermore, players have not been paid and their manager, Pellegrini, has stated that he will stay on for another season only if all players get paid what’s owed to them.
Málaga had a great end to last season, finishing in a Champion’s place in the Spanish league, and looking forward to what could be the best possible season in the history of the club. However, things have not gone well for the owner of the club who apart from his 5 year project to make Málaga a championship winning side, has had disappointments with other projects in the province including a new sporting complex and stadium for the club and a marina project in Marbella. Local planning laws and permissions have been slow in coming through together with reported personal financial problems for the owner of Málaga football club.
Certainly, the fans will feel that they have been let down, but let’s hope that reported new signings around the corner come to fruition and Málaga can approach the new season with confidence.