The Malaguistas, with 22 points and in 20^th place in the table, welcome this rival with 33 points and in 16^th position.

The match will be officiated by Aitor Gorostegui Fernández-Ortega. This 39-year-old referee from the Basque Country is in his seventh season in the silver division. He has been in charge of 131 games, ending in 47 local victories, 48 draws and 36 visitor wins. This season he has refereed Málaga CF once, ending in a Blue and White defeat by 1-2 against Albacete on league matchday 4. Heading up the VAR is Iñaki Vicandi Garrido, also from the Basque Country.

Players in common Málaga CF-Real Zaragoza

Cornago, Movilla, Sánchez Broto, Antonio Hidalgo, Apoño, Eliseu, Lolo, Pablo Barros, Uche, Roberto, Borja Bastón, Erik Morán, Juankar, Buenacasa, Adrián González, Peybernes, Febas and Delmas

(*) Former Malaguista Jorge Pina played for Real Zaragoza B

Coaches in common Málaga CF-Real Zaragoza

Marcos Alonso and Natxo González

Players in common CD Málaga-Real Zaragoza

Alonso*, Olivares, Ramos, Sagrado, Elzo, Lasheras, Vidal, Vallejo, Goicoechea, Bustillo, Heredia, Modesto, Pineda and Belman

(*) Under the CD Malacitano name

(**) Antonio Iznata, a CD Málaga Juvenil player, was part of Real Zaragoza

Coaches in common CD Málaga-Real Zaragoza

Antonio Sorribas*, Manuel Olivares, Francisco Bru, Luis Urquiri, Juan Otxoa, Domingo Balmanya and Luis Costa

(*) Under the CD Malacitano name

Players who debuted with Málaga CF against Real Zaragoza at La Rosaleda

• Wanchope (Málaga CF 0-0 Real Zaragoza, 12/09/2004)
• Lobato (Málaga CF 0-3 Real Zaragoza, 10/01/2007)

Match info

• Esteban Burgos and Luis Muñoz are suspended from this game. Febas, Loren and Javi Jiménez are on a cycle of four yellow cards.
• Rubén Castro, with five goals, is the top Blue and White scorer in the League. Giuliano Simeone, with six goals, is Zaragoza’s highest goal scorer.
• At home in LaLiga SmartBank, Málaga CF have accumulated three victories, six draws and four defeats (15 points), scoring 11 goals and conceding 15.
• Away from home in the league, Real Zaragoza have obtained four wins, three draws and seven defeats (15 points), scoring 11 goals and conceding 14.

Stats and facts

• This will be the fifth time Málaga CF and Real Zaragoza will play each other at La Rosaleda in the Second Division. In the previous four matches, MCF won 3-1 in the 18/19 season; lost 0-1 in 19/20 and 1-2 in 20/21; and drew last season, 21/22 (1-1, Malaguista goal scored by Brandon Thomas).
• In addition, MCF and Zaragoza have faced one another 12 times at Martiricos; 10 times in the First Division and twice in the Copa del Rey. Málaga CF obtained four victories, five draws and three defeats against this rival.
• CD Málaga played at home on two occasions, in the Second Division, against Zaragoza. They drew 0-0 in the 46/47 campaign and won 3-0 in 77/78 with Viberti in the Malaguista dugout, and goals from Aráez, Migueli and the current head of the Club's Medical Services, Juan Carlos Pérez-Frías.
• In the seven seasons Málaga CF have played in the silver division, on matchday 28, they have obtained four wins and three defeats.