1994-2001: RETURN TO THE ELITE

On 29th June 1994, with Federico Beltrán as president, Club Atlético Malagueño adopted the name Málaga Club de Fútbol, S.A.D., becoming the first denomination constituted as a public limited sports company in the history of Málaga football.

Under the Málaga CF name, the Blue and Whites played their first official match in Adra (Almería) on 4th September 1994.  Following an historic season, in which the team remained undefeated at the end of competition, Antonio Benítez’s team achieved promotion to Second Division B in June 1995, by winning the final game of the playoffs against Jerez de los Caballeros at La Rosaleda.

Two years later, a few days before the start of the 1997/98 season, Fernando Puche took over from Federico Beltrán as president.  On 28th June 1998, following an epic victory against Terrasa (4-1, with an unforgettable hat trick from Guede), and a draw with Talavera in Beasaín, Málaga CF became a Second Division side.

During the first campaign in the Second Division, Joaquín Peiró’s team achieved promotion with three matches remaining until the end of the competition, after defeating Albacete at La Rosaleda on 30th May 1999.  Catanha became the ‘Pichichi’ of the Second Division in Malaguista history, with 26 goals.  The dream became a reality, and the Costa del Sol capital returned to the First Division 10 years later.

Málaga CF’s brilliant trajectory shone even more in the top flight.  The team secured permanency in its debut in the ‘League of the Stars’ (1999/00), and during his debut in the elite, Catanha also made Blue and Whites’ history by becoming the striker to score the most goals in one season in the First Division (24).