Málaga CF begins its preparation for the 2026/27 season with its first friendly match against Leicester City, scheduled for this Saturday, July 25th, at 7:00 PM. The Malaga-based team aims to be in peak condition for the start of the campaign, where they will defend their place in the national elite after an eight-year absence.
The English club is going through a difficult period after their relegation to League One, the equivalent of Spain's Primera Federación. Leicester City sees Málaga CF's recent promotion as a mirror to reflect upon for motivation, similar to the scene with Galadriel's mirror in 'The Lord of the Rings'. The British team has already kicked off their pre-season with a narrow victory against Cádiz CF.
Málaga CF, on the other hand, faces the arduous task of preparing a young and inexperienced squad for the usual demands of the First Division, as the core of the team consists of academy players who have joined the first team in the last three years. This match will serve to assess the current level of players like Fernando Calero and Juan Cruz, who have returned to their former club and must demonstrate performance levels befitting reinforcements for a LaLiga EA Sports team, adapting to Juanfran Funes's tactics. Additionally, attention will be on Álex Pastor, who has not played for nearly a year due to injury and is expected to be one of the team's most important center-backs.
In this manner, Málaga CF will commence a series of friendlies before debuting in LaLiga EA Sports at the Ryadh Metropolitano, the same venue where they began their last season in the elite. Meanwhile, the British team aims to have a great preparation to emulate the 'blanquiazul' feat of two promotions in a few seasons.
