Qatar-owned Málaga were one of Europe’s biggest spenders in the close season and the ambition that investment reflects faces a stern test in Tuesday’s King’s Cup last-16 first leg at holders Real Madrid.
The Andalusian club added around 60 million euros worth of players to the team led by former Real coach Manuel Pellegrini, including 20 million euros for Spain playmaker Santi Cazorla.
While Pellegrini has targeted a top-six finish in La Liga and a place in European competition next season, Malaga’s owner, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani, will be keen for them to show in the Cup that some of the money spent is starting to bear fruit.
Jose Mourinho’s Real steamrollered Málaga 4-0 in a league game at the Rosaleda in October and Cazorla is under no illusions about the scale of the task that faces them at Real’s Bernabeu arena.
«They are the second-best team in the world right now, behind Barcelona, and they are proving it day-by-day,» Cazorla told a news conference.
«It’s going to be a very tough game and hopefully we can get something positive out of it to keep our chances alive for the return leg,» the former Villarreal player added.
«In the league, Madrid had five or six goal-scoring chances and netted four and it was game over.
«Playing at home with the fans behind them we’ll have to be focused and not make any mistakes because they are expensive. If the team plays at a good level we can challenge them.»
Even if Málaga can get past Real, their likely opponent in the last eight will present no less of a challenge to their bid for silverware this season.
Barca, who lost 1-0 to Real in the 2011 final, will play the winners of the Real-Malaga tie if they can dispose of La Liga rivals Osasuna, with the first leg being played at the Nou Camp Wednesday.
buenosairesherald.com