Malaga Return to La Liga After Climb From Third Tier

Malaga have returned to La Liga after almost a decade away, completing a recovery that took them from Spain's regionalised third tier to the top flight in three seasons. BBC Sport reports that the Andalusian club sealed promotion with a 2-1 victory at Almeria in the second leg of the second-tier play-off final.

The result followed a goalless first leg in Malaga. Academy striker Chupe put the visitors ahead before winger David Larrubia scored their second, securing promotion for a squad built on a comparatively small budget. Chupe scored 25 goals during the 2025-26 campaign, while Larrubia was among several locally developed players central to the team's rise.

Malaga had fallen a long way since reaching the Champions League quarter-finals in 2013. The club was barred from the following season's Europa League for breaches of UEFA financial rules concerning overdue payments, then suffered relegation from La Liga in 2018. A regional court removed owner Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani from control in 2020, and court-appointed administrator Jose Maria Munoz has overseen operations since then.

The decline reached its lowest sporting point in 2023, when Malaga dropped into the semi-professional third tier. A young squad earned an immediate return to the second division by beating Gimnastic Tarragona in a two-legged play-off final, with Antonio Cordero scoring late in extra time in the decisive match. Malaga then finished 16th in their first season back at that level.

Their latest promotion push accelerated after reserve-team coach Juan Francisco Funes replaced Sergio Pellicer following four wins in the opening 14 league matches. Funes, a former teacher with no previous playing or coaching experience in professional football, guided Malaga to six consecutive victories after beginning his tenure with a win and two draws. The club eventually finished fourth to reach the play-offs.

BBC Sport says Malaga had spent only £325,000 on permanent transfers since 2020, while Almeria spent more than £10 million during the promotion season alone. An estimated 185,000 supporters attended Malaga's promotion parade in June. The club now begins its top-flight campaign with away matches against Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, marking its return to Spanish football's highest level.