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.
A song adopted by the club’s Fondo Sur ultras, borrowed from the ultras scene in Morocco, became the soundtrack of the season. ‘Es la Vida Loca’ – the crazy life.
Malaga’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 when Chupe steered Malaga in front before Larrubia curled in a stunning second, the whole fanbase did too – kit supplier Hummel incorporated the names of all 26,550 season-ticket holders into a special one-off strip.
The 2-1 victory sparked mass celebrations in Malaga. After partying all weekend, an estimated 185,000 fans lined the streets to give the team a triumphant welcome.
“It was a once-in-a-generation moment. Many young fans had never seen Malaga play in La Liga,” says Fernandez.
“An entire generation had grown up after the club’s Champions League years knowing little more than financial turmoil, sporting disappointment and uncertainty surrounding the club they loved.”
After a second night of partying, several players took to social media to challenge fans to meet them at 07:00 on Monday at a roundabout in a western suburb. Hundreds answered the call.
“That connection between the squad and the fans was one of the defining features of the campaign,” adds Fernandez.
“It helped create a sense that everyone, from the dressing room to the streets of the city, was pulling in the same direction.”
Given their financial constraints, Malaga’s preparations for the top flight have been low-key.
Several important players have renewed their contracts, while sporting director Loren Juarros has made some astute loan signings.
Promotion winner Carlos Dotor returned on loan from Celta Vigo, while £256,000 was spent on loaning winger Juan Cruz from Leganes.
Malaga fans know their club are favourites for relegation.
They open the season with daunting trips to Atletico Madrid (Wednesday, 20:00 BST kick-off) and Real Madrid, but after what they have been through that should not faze them.
“Malaga’s story is beautifully convoluted, with plenty of plot twists and the most enchanting ending,” says Sabatel.
“From now on, we can only enjoy.”
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