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From Málaga CF to the throne of Europe

In 2005, Josemi became the first Malaguista to win the UEFA Champions League. He did it with the ‘Spanish Liverpool’ and today tells MCFTV all about it.

With hard work and sacrifice dreams can come true. This is a phrase that José Miguel González Rey ‘Josemi’ (17-8-1979), the current Malaguista team delegate, has etched on his memory. In 1997, when he was still a teenager, Josemi signed to Málaga CF from his home town team of Juventud de Torremolinos. An 18-year old boy fulfilling his dream of playing for Málaga CF.

Four seasons with the Blue and Whites’ first team, an Intertoto Cup title and UEFA Cup quarter-finals were enough to spike the attention of one of the most successful teams in Europe. At the age of 24 he was recruited to the ranks of Rafa Benítez’s Liverpool FC. Josemi still didn’t wake up from his dream.

During his first year with the English side he touched the sky. The Reds returned to the final of the biggest competition on the continent after 20 years. They were faced with AC Milan, with Nesta, Cafú, Rui Costa and Shevchenko.

This Champions League final saw Liverpool come back from being 3-0 down, in one of the most remembered finals in history. At the end of normal time, the result was a 3-3 draw. “When it got to the penalty shoot-out, I thought we had a good chance of winning”, recalls Josemi. And they did. For the first time in history a Malaguista won the most important title at European club level. From Málaga to the throne of Europe in just one step.