Malaga Return to La Liga After Playoff Win Over Almeria

Malaga have returned to La Liga after almost a decade away, completing a recovery that took the club from Spain's regionalized third tier back to the top flight. BBC Sport reported that a 2-1 away victory over Almeria in the second leg of the promotion playoff final secured the club's latest step upward after the first leg ended goalless.

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Chupe put Malaga ahead in Almeria before David Larrubia added a second goal. The result prompted large celebrations in the city, where an estimated 185,000 people attended the promotion parade. It also restored a club that reached the Champions League quarter-finals in 2013 but was relegated from La Liga in 2018 and fell into the third division five years later.

The turnaround accelerated after Juan Francisco Funes replaced Sergio Pellicer during the 2025-26 season. Funes, the reserve-team coach and a former teacher who had not previously played or coached professionally, inherited a side that had won four of its first 14 matches. BBC Sport said Malaga recorded one win and two draws under him before winning six consecutive games and climbing to third. They eventually finished fourth and entered the playoffs.

Academy players were central to the promotion campaign. Chupe scored 25 goals, while Larrubia and defender Diego Murillo were among the locally developed players in the squad. Funes already knew many of the younger players from the academy, limiting the adjustment required after his appointment.

Malaga achieved promotion despite operating with one of the division's smallest budgets. According to the BBC report, 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's average attendance was the 11th-highest in Spain, reflecting strong support even outside the top division.

Preparations for La Liga have remained measured. Promotion winner Carlos Dotor has returned on loan from Celta Vigo, and Malaga have paid £256,000 to loan winger Juan Cruz from Leganes. Their top-flight campaign begins with away matches against Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, an immediate test for a squad built through academy development, free transfers and loans.