Málaga CF enter the 2026/27 campaign in the midst of a remarkable resurgence. Eight years after their last top-flight appearance, the Boquerones returned to La Liga via the Segunda División playoffs, completing a journey that took them from the brink of dissolution to the promised land of Spanish football. Juanfran Funes, the 43-year-old coach who was preparing to return to his job as a schoolteacher when he was handed the reins of the first team, has become the architect of this revival. His squad is the fourth youngest in the division, boasting fifteen academy graduates and just one foreign player, an identity that evokes the Basque model of Athletic Club. But the early returns have been brutal: seven matches, three points, and a place at the bottom of the table. This is the definitive guide to the current Málaga squad.
Technical Leadership & Coaching Profile
Manager: Juanfran Funes
Tactical Philosophy: Funes is a pedagogue by training and a pragmatist by necessity. When he took over from Sergio Pellicer, the club was languishing in the Segunda RFEF relegation zone. He transformed a fractured dressing room into a united front, built on a core of academy players who “enjoy themselves on the pitch.” His preferred system is a 4-3-3, a shape that prioritises associative play, positional rotations, and a commitment to playing out from the back. Funes has instilled a fearless approach, telling his young squad that “the best signing is that no one leaves.” The challenge now is whether that idealism can survive the relentless pressure of La Liga’s relegation battle.
Preferred Formations: 4-3-3, with the capacity to shift to a 4-2-3-1 depending on opponent and game state.
Strategic Transfer Activity
Málaga’s summer was one of necessity and late opportunism. The club completed eight signings, five on loan and three on free transfers, as they navigated the financial realities of judicial administration and a salary limit that ranks among La Liga’s lowest. The strategy was clear: preserve the promotion-winning core, add top-flight experience on minimal outlay, and fill the defensive void created by injuries to key centre-backs.
Table A: Summer Major Transfer Influx
| Player | Position | Former Club | Fee Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando Calero | Centre-Back | Espanyol | Free |
| Pablo Martínez | Central Midfielder | Levante | Free |
| Juan Berrocal | Centre-Back | Getafe | Free |
| José Salinas | Left-Back | Espanyol | Loan |
| Juan Cruz | Winger | Leganés | Loan |
| Carlos Dotor | Central Midfielder | Celta | Loan |
| Adam Aznou | Left-Back | Everton | Loan |
| Jens Cajuste | Midfielder | Napoli | Loan (€8m option) |
The headline addition is Jens Cajuste, the Swedish international who arrived on loan from Napoli on deadline day with an €8 million purchase option. Cajuste spent the previous two seasons on loan at Ipswich Town, accumulating 61 appearances across the Premier League and Championship. Pablo Martínez, the former Levante captain, brings La Liga experience and leadership to the engine room, having made 27 top-flight appearances last season. Fernando Calero and Juan Berrocal were recruited specifically to address the defensive crisis that has plagued the early weeks, with Diego Murillo and Calero himself both sidelined by injury. José Salinas provides a long-term solution at left-back after making his La Liga debut with Espanyol last season.
The First-Team Roster
Goalkeepers
Alfonso Herrero (#1): The undisputed number one and one of only two players to have played every minute of the La Liga campaign. The 32-year-old has been a pillar of consistency, playing 129 of Málaga’s last 130 matches. His shot-stopping and command of the penalty area provide a reliable foundation for a defence that has been stretched to its limits.
Carlos López (#13): The 21-year-old goalkeeper is highly rated for his distribution and has been described as a player with “enormous future.” He provides genuine competition for Herrero.
Andrés Céspedes (#): The academy goalkeeper provides third-choice depth.
Defenders
Ángel Recio (#): The academy graduate has been the revelation of the season. Thrust into the starting XI due to injuries to Calero and Murillo, Recio has played every minute of the league campaign alongside Herrero. His composure and reading of the game have belied his inexperience, making him one of the few bright spots in a difficult start.
Einar Galilea (#4): The experienced centre-back has formed a partnership with Recio in the heart of defence. Galilea’s physical presence and aerial ability provide the steel that complements Recio’s composure.
Fernando Calero (#20): The summer signing from Espanyol was expected to be the defensive anchor but has been sidelined by injury until late 2026. His return will be a significant boost.
Juan Berrocal (#): The deadline-day arrival from Getafe brings La Liga experience, having made 19 appearances for the Madrid club in 2024/25. His composure and ball-playing ability suit Funes’ build-up demands.
Carlos Puga (#3): The right-back has been a consistent presence, starting six of the opening seven matches. His energy and defensive discipline make him a reliable outlet.
José Salinas (#12): The loan signing from Espanyol has started five matches at left-back. His attacking thrust and delivery from wide areas are valuable weapons.
Rafita (#31): The academy graduate provides versatility across the back line, capable of operating at right-back or left-back.
Diego Murillo (#16): The centre-back is sidelined with injury and has yet to feature this season. His return will add depth to a stretched defensive unit.
Álex Pastor (#5): The experienced defender is working his way back to full fitness after a disrupted pre-season.
Adam Aznou (#): The loan signing from Everton arrived on deadline day. The 20-year-old came through the Barcelona and Bayern Munich academies and made his Bundesliga debut before a loan spell at Valladolid. He provides cover at left-back.
Midfielders
Izan Merino (#23): The young pivot has started five matches, establishing himself as the midfield anchor. His positioning, pressing, and ability to screen the back four are central to Funes’ structure.
Dani Lorenzo (#): The academy graduate is the creative heartbeat of the team, described as having “enormous talent, vision, and an extra gear.” His ability to receive under pressure and drive forward makes him indispensable.
Carlos Dotor (#): The loan signing from Celta has started five matches. His versatility across midfield—capable of playing as a ‘6’, ‘8’, or ’10’—provides tactical flexibility.
Pablo Martínez (#18): The summer arrival from Levante brings La Liga experience and leadership to the engine room. His work rate and authority in midfield are precisely what a young squad needs.
Jens Cajuste (#): The deadline-day loan signing from Napoli adds physicality and two-way work rate. His Premier League and Championship experience with Ipswich provides valuable know-how for the survival battle.
Ramón Enríquez (#): The experienced midfielder provides depth and competition in central areas.
Rafa Rodríguez (#): The young midfielder offers energy and technical quality as a rotation option.
Aarón Ochoa (#35): The 19-year-old is the youngest player in the squad and one of the most highly rated. His creativity and final-third flair have drawn comparisons to the great Málaga playmakers of old. He is currently recovering from injury.
Forwards
Chupe (#): The 21-year-old striker is Málaga’s talisman and the heir to Catanha and Dely Valdés in the affections of La Rosaleda. He scored 25 goals in the promotion campaign, a remarkable tally for a player of his age, and his hunger and finishing ability are the team’s primary attacking weapon.
David Larrubia (#): The academy winger is one of Málaga’s most important players, a fundamental figure if the club is to survive. His creativity, set-piece delivery, and goal threat from wide areas make him a constant danger.
Adrián Niño (#21): The former Atlético Madrid academy striker scored 11 goals last season and provides a different profile to Chupe, offering movement in behind and clinical finishing.
Joaquín Muñoz (#11): The experienced winger is described as “voracious and destabilising,” his direct running and crossing ability a valuable outlet on the left flank.
Juan Cruz (#): The Argentine-born winger returned to his boyhood club on loan from Leganés, where he impressed during their 2024/25 La Liga campaign. His versatility across both flanks adds depth to the attacking line.
Haitam Abaida (#7): The winger provides pace and directness as a rotation option.
Eneko Jauregi (#): The experienced striker offers a physical presence through the middle when called upon.
Leadership Group & Squad Regulations
Club Captain: The captaincy structure is evolving under Funes, with Alfonso Herrero and Einar Galilea providing the veteran leadership that “wraps around the kids.” Herrero’s 129 appearances in the last 130 matches make him the club’s most consistent performer, while Galilea’s experience across Spanish football adds gravitas to the dressing room.
Homegrown Quota Check: Málaga’s commitment to their academy is remarkable. Fifteen players in the current squad have come through the club’s youth system, the second-highest proportion in La Liga behind only Athletic Club. The club has just one foreign player, the Malian Moussa Diarra, making them an outlier in European football’s major leagues. This identity is a source of immense pride and a strategic choice born of financial necessity.
Financial & Contractual Health
Financial Balance Overview: Málaga remain the only professional Spanish club under judicial administration. This reality shapes every decision, from the free transfers and loan deals that characterised the summer window to the wage structure that prioritises sustainability over ambition. The €8 million purchase option on Cajuste would represent a significant investment if exercised, but it is a sign of the club’s belief in his potential.
Contract Red Alerts: Julen Lobete, a summer arrival from Leganés, suffered a serious injury that will keep him out long-term. The club have decided not to sign a replacement immediately, choosing instead to wait until the January window, when they believe better options will be available. The contracts of several key players, including Larrubia and Chupe, will require attention to protect the club’s most valuable assets.
The Academy Pipeline & Loan Tracker
Breakout Talents to Watch: Ángel Recio has already broken through, playing every minute of the league campaign. Aarón Ochoa, the 19-year-old attacking midfielder, is widely regarded as the most talented player to emerge from La Academia in years. Pablo Arriaza, a midfielder from the academy, has also been promoted to the first-team squad.
Notable Out on Loan: Pablo Arriaza joined Estepona on loan after signing a contract extension, seeking regular first-team football.
Set-Piece Specialists & FPL Cheat Sheet
Penalties: Chupe (First Choice). The striker’s 25-goal campaign established him as the primary taker.
Direct Free-Kicks: David Larrubia / Dani Lorenzo.
Corners & Crosses: David Larrubia is the primary deliverer, with Joaquín Muñoz and Juan Cruz offering alternatives.
For Fantasy La Liga managers, Chupe is the standout Málaga asset, given his goalscoring record and penalty duties. David Larrubia’s creativity and set-piece involvement make him a differential. Alfonso Herrero’s save volume, behind a defence that has conceded regularly, could yield points in systems that reward goalkeeping interventions.
Final Outlook: Navigating the Tactical Horizon
Málaga enter the 2026/27 season with an identity that is both their greatest strength and their most significant vulnerability. The academy model that delivered promotion is being tested against the brutal reality of La Liga, and the early returns are sobering: three points from seven matches, a place at the bottom of the table, and a defensive injury crisis that has forced Funes to field a back line of academy graduates and deadline-day signings.
The attacking burden rests squarely on Chupe’s young shoulders. The 21-year-old scored 25 goals in the Segunda División, but La Liga is a different proposition entirely. If he adapts, Málaga have a genuine goalscorer. If he struggles, the team lacks a proven alternative. Larrubia’s creativity and Ochoa’s emergence offer hope, but the margins are thin.
The defensive situation is the immediate concern. Recio and Galilea have performed admirably, but Calero’s injury absence until late 2026 leaves the squad dangerously thin. Berrocal’s arrival provides experience, but he has not played regular top-flight football in over a year. The return of Murillo and Pastor cannot come soon enough.
The fixture list offers little respite. Málaga’s opening weeks included trips to Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid, a brutal introduction to the top flight. But the squad’s unity, forged through the adversity of promotion and the shared experience of La Academia, is a genuine asset. Funes has created a team that “enjoys themselves on the pitch,” and that spirit will be tested in the months ahead.
Survival is the only objective. The squad is young, hungry, and united. The coach is a revelation. The stadium, La Rosaleda, remains one of the most intimidating venues in Spain. If the defence stabilises, if Chupe adapts, and if the academy graduates continue to defy expectations, Málaga have a chance. The margin is fine, but the spirit is unbreakable.
