CD Málaga 1981-82
Club Deportivo Málaga faced their second consecutive season in the Second Division. The pre-season was full of new faces, with Antonio Pérez-Gascón taking on the role of club president following the departure of Federico Brinkmann. Antonio Benítez, having obtained his national coach qualification, took over at the helm of the team, replacing his friend Ben Barek.
Argentineans Gasparini and Fernando Rodríguez (who played as a native, being the son of Spanish parents), together with Brazilian Peribaldo, were the new additions, along with homegrown player Javi, on loan during the previous season to UD Ibiza. In the last third of the league, Recio, who was loaned out to CD Antequerano in Segunda B, and Antonio Hierro (known at that time as Hierro I), was also loaned out to Third Division side, UD San Pedro, and returned to the Malaguista ranks.
Among the departures was Santi, sold to Sevilla FC for 20 million pesetas. Bio, who was loaned out to RCD Español, returned to them. Yugoslavian Bonacic, Argentinean Nieto and Spanish players Filgueira, Heredia and Quico Rodríguez also left the squad.
The course of the season
As if it were a premonition of what would happen at the end of the competition, CD Málaga defeated Getafe Deportivo on matchday 1. The match kicked off the league season, held at Las Margaritas on 20th September 1981. The final result was 2-3 with the Málaga goals scored by Cantarutti (penalty), Brescia and Muñoz Pérez.
Matchday 2 ended in a draw at La Rosaleda (1-1) against Castilla CF. Despite the result, CD Málaga would be an almost unbeatable team at home during the league competition. Out of the 19 league home games, the lads won 13, drew five and lost just one, against Atlético Madrileño (1-2), on matchday 30.
On matchday 5, the team suffered the first defeat against Real Murcia by 1-0. With this result, CD Málaga was in 10th place in the standings, the lowest position of that campaign. From matchday 8, following the 3-0 victory against CE Sabadell, Málaga were in promotion positions (the first three teams move up), and didn’t leave the top part of the table for the rest of the season. The match held on 14th March 1982 (matchday 28) stands out for CD Málaga’s 8-0 victory against Deportivo de La Coruña, with Peribaldo remembered for his goals and dancing.
Between matchdays 29 and 34, the team had its worst run of results, obtaining two draws and four defeats, but remained in second place tied on 44 points with UD Salamanca. It was precisely this rival that defeated CD Málaga by 2-1 on matchday 34. The Malaguistas returned to winning ways on matchday 35 after beating Burgos CF by 1-0. Homegrown player Antonio Manuel made his debut in this match, the youngest defender to wear the Malaguista jersey in an official match, a record he held until 1986 with the debut of Emilio.
If the victory against Deportivo de La Coruña went down in history, the win against Levante UD on 9th May 1982 will always be remembered. At the start of matchday 36, Málaga were in second place tied with Salamanca on 46 points, and with Elche CF in 4th place with 45 points. These teams were pitted against each other.
Peribaldo, in minute 8, put CD Málaga in the lead, however Víctor ('16) and Eulate ('80) scored for Levante UD, with the result the same until the 90th minute, when a Levante win looked on the cards. Málaga’s promotion hopes were incredibly complicated. Nevertheless, within two minutes, now in stoppage time, the goals from Antonio Hierro and Serrano turned the result around to secure a 2-3 win. The Malaguista victory and the draw between Salamanca and Elche (1-1) meant promotion was in touching distance.
The 10th promotion to the First Division
On 16th May 1982, CD Málaga and RC Recreativo de Huelva faced each other at La Rosaleda on the penultimate league matchday. In the case of a Malaguista victory and defeat for Elche CF, promotion would be mathematically secured. The stadium, although under construction for the World Cup in Spain in 1982 taking place within a few weeks, the stadium hosted a record 40,000 fans in the stands and 6.600.000 pesetas was earned from tickets.
Referee from Asturias, Álvarez Díaz was in charge of this game. The teams presented the following starting line-ups:
- CD Málaga: Burgueña, Popo, Nacho, Hierro I, Muñoz Pérez, Martín, Serrano, Recio, Juan Carlos, José Hurtado and Fernando Rodríguez.
- RC Recreativo de Huelva: Baumgartner, De la Riva, Navarro, Cepeda, Agustín, Crespo, Zambrano, Moret, Lorant, Zuluaga and Zambrano.
From the outset, Recreativo were surpassed by a Málaga that was determined to win at all costs. In minute 5, Popo had an opportunity and, following a shot at goal, the ball was headed by a rival defender, but it hit the crossbar. The 1-0 didn’t arrive until minute 27 with a header from Muñoz Pérez from a Martín corner; and the 2-0 was the work of Serrano in minute 35 following a Fernando Rodríguez cross. The score stayed the same at half-time.
In the second half, the Malaguistas continued their superb gameplay and in minute 59, as Fernando Rodríguez passed a long shot to Martín, he outwitted the keeper to score the 3-0. The 4-0 came in minute 76 with a great shot from Martín from the edge of the area, followed by a 5-0 lead in 81’, the work of José Hurtado with an unstoppable long shot. In addition, in minute 82, homegrown players Aracena and Rivas made their official debut, substituting Serrano and ‘Jose’ respectively. Benítez left his mark on the commitment shown to Atlético Malagueño players.
In 85’, Crespo managed to beat Burgueña to score the honorary goal for the ‘Decano’. At the full-time whistle, there was jubilation amongst the Malaguista fans and players, applauding from midfield whilst Benítez was carried on their shoulders.
The ‘Homegrown Málaga’ returned to the Spanish footballing elite for the 10th time. The promotion wasn’t mathematical, but virtual, as Elche CF defeated Burgos CF by 3-1. CD Málaga and Elche CF had tied their two league matches by the same result, 1-1. Málaga had a +36 in goal difference, compared to +19 for Elche. Only a landslide Elche victory and severe Malaguista defeat would ruin this promotion.
The standings ended with RC Celta de Vigo, with 53 points, sitting in the top spot with First Division promotion achieved; CD Málaga, 50 points; UD Salamanca, 49 points; and Elche CF, 48 points. UD Salamanca and Elche CF would fight for third place and subsequent promotion to the top flight.
End of an unforgettable campaign
On the final matchday of the season, on 23rd May 1982, with practically nothing in play, CD Málaga was in action at Lluís Sitjar against RCD Mallorca, a match the lads lost by 2-1. The protagonist of that game was Mallorca’s Riado who scored the 1-0 and then the 1-1 (own goal). As an anecdote, the definitive 2-1 was netted by former CD Málaga player, Rafael Gallardo.
The final standings ended with Celta de Vigo, UD Salamanca and CD Málaga in the top three spots. Elche CF, despite beating Levante UD by 1-6, ended in 4th place tied on 50 points with the Malaguista squad. As such, CD Málaga bid farewell to the silver division for three years.
