Malaga Seal La Liga Return After Eight-Year Absence

Malaga have returned to La Liga eight years after relegation, completing a rapid climb that took them from Spain's regionalised third tier to the top flight in three seasons. BBC Sport reported that the Andalusian club secured promotion by defeating Almeria 2-1 in the second leg of the 2025-26 play-off final after the first match ended goalless.

The comeback follows a long decline from Malaga's run to the 2013 Champions League quarter-finals. The club was relegated from La Liga in 2018, and a regional court removed owner Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani from control in 2020 amid allegations of financial misconduct. Court-appointed administrator Jose Maria Munoz has overseen operations since then, while player sales and reliance on free transfers and loans helped stabilize the finances.

Malaga dropped into the third division in 2023 but earned promotion at the first attempt, beating Gimnastic Tarragona in a two-legged play-off final. The following season brought a 16th-place finish in the second tier. Early in the next campaign, Sergio Pellicer was replaced after four wins in 14 games by reserve-team coach Juan Francisco Funes, who had not previously played or coached professionally.

Funes transformed the season with a squad built around academy graduates and local players. After beginning his tenure with one win and two draws, Malaga won six consecutive matches and climbed to third. Striker Chupe scored 25 goals during the campaign, while winger David Larrubia and defender Diego Murillo were among the other academy products who played important roles.

The club ultimately finished fourth and reached the promotion final against Almeria. Chupe put Malaga ahead in the decisive away leg before Larrubia added a second, and the 2-1 win sealed a place in La Liga. BBC Sport reported that an estimated 185,000 supporters attended the promotion parade, reflecting the connection between the young team and the city.

Malaga achieved promotion with one of the smallest budgets in the second division. BBC Sport said the club had spent only £325,000 on permanent transfers since 2020, while Almeria spent more than £10 million during the promotion season alone. Malaga have retained several key players and added loan signings ahead of a top-flight campaign that begins with away matches against Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.