A day of mourning for Malaguismo. Fernando Puche Doña has passed away at the age of 78 in his hometown of Málaga, leaving behind a lasting legacy tied to the club. Under his leadership at the end of the last century, the Club rose from the bronze division to the gold division of national football.
During his time with MCF, Puche was an important figure in the board of directors, with Federico Beltrán at the helm. Until the 1997/98 season, when he assumed the presidency and achieved an epic promotion from Second Division B to Second Division. In the following season, 1998/99, Puche made a bold yet brilliant decision - one that would become historic. He signed a new coach who would become an absolute legend and whose name now graces the home bench at La Rosaleda: Joaquín Peiró.
That unforgettable 98/99 season saw Málaga play dazzling football, crowning themselves champions of the Second Division with a team full of players who remain etched in the memories of all Malaguistas. Among them were ‘pichichi’ Catanha, captain Bravo, Basti, Guede, Edgar, Rufete, Agostinho, Roteta, Movilla, Valcarce, and many more. Under the guidance of Peiró - whom Puche kept in charge despite a rough patch during the season, showing his composure in difficult times - the team thrived.
Puche remained president of MCF for two more seasons, both in the top division. In the first, 99/00, the club comfortably avoided relegation, with the highlight being an epic 1-2 victory at Camp Nou against FC Barcelona while Málaga was near the bottom of the standings. The following season, 00/01, marked Puche’s crowning achievement as president. The team finished a fantastic 8th in La Liga, just shy of European qualification, achieving the club’s best finish up to that point since CD Málaga's two seventh place finishes in the 1970s.
Francisco Martín Aguilar, the Club's Protocol and Institutional Relations adviser, recalls that before becoming Málaga's president, Puche “helped the club in very difficult times” through his role as a businessman. “He took charge of everything,” Paco remembers, emphasising Fernando's commitment: “He was the best, a president who truly led and took control. He was the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave.”
Puche’s last appearance in the stands at Martiricos, in the VIP area of La Rosaleda, was during the recent commemoration of the ‘Legends Match,’ held to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the birth of football in Málaga.
On a special day for La Rosaleda, which was officially inaugurated on this day in 1941, 83 years ago, Málaga CF hopes that the match against SD Huesca will serve as a tribute to one of the most important presidents in the club’s history, under any of its names. We hope to dedicate the victory to you, Fernando.
Málaga CF sends heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Fernando Puche, a historic figure who played a key role in the resurgence and consolidation of our club in the elite of Spanish football. Farewell, president.