It’s not until you’ve passed the good old days when you realize you were living the good old days. If not, just ask Malaga, who went from playing in LaLiga and in the Champions League to being relegated to the third division.
Just like it happened in Italy with Sampdoria – who dropped to the second tier, Spain has seen one of its historic teams fall even lower. A 2-1 loss to Alaves sealed Malaga’s fate last weekend, as they will play in Primera RFEF next season.
The news made noise in world soccer, since many have seen this club taking the spotlight both domestically and internationally. Unfortunately, their best days are far behind them.
Malaga drops to Spain’s third division
Malaga had already been on decline since dropping from LaLiga in 2018, but they managed to stay in the second division for five straight seasons. Now, they’ve hit rock bottom.
The Boquerones were a regular team in the Spanish top-flight from 1950, only being a few years away in the 90s before the club got back on its feet. In fact, the team from Andalusia even enjoyed continental prominence in the last decade.
Under Manuel Pellegrini, Malaga had a memorable performance in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League, making an unprecedented run to the quarterfinals. On top of that, the likes of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Santi Cazorla, and Isco wore their uniform during their best days. Sadly, those days are over, and the club has to get itself out of a hole.