Malaga (16th) and Sporting (17th) have the same points in the table. A total of 9, both with 2 wins, 3 draws and 4 defeats.

The Gijoneses with 10 goals in favour and 14 against, and the Blue and Whites with 5 in favour and 7 against.

The match official for the clash, Valencian-born Mateu Lahoz, will be officiating his first Sporting-Malaga game in top level national football. In the Asturian stronghold, he refereed once where Sporting lost; outside of the Martiricos, Lahoz has refereed 7 times for Málaga with 3 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses for the ‘Malaguistas’.

At El Molinón, First Division MCF, have played 4 matches with 2 local victories, a draw and a victory for Málaga. That victory was when the team was coached by Pellegrini and in the 17th week of the 2010/11 season. It was a 1-2 win with a Gijones goal by penalty from the ex-Málaga B player, Diego Castro, with the other goals from Weligton and Apono's penalty.

Weligton, a historical Top Scorer

If the Brazilian plays this weekend he will tie with Fuengirola-born Jesús Gámez in games played in First Division for Málaga. 'Weli' is at 192 and 193 for Gámez, fourth and third respectively, Duda (280) and Fernando Sanz (205) in that section.

The number '3' has a special with relationship with the Gijoneses, as he has scored 3 goals in 3 games played, making him the highest scorer.

First and last precedent

Recently promoted Sporting and Malaga played their first encounter at El Molinón in the 2008/09 season. Victory was for the remembered team of Manolo Preciado against Málaga's Antonio Tapia, 2-1, at the 36th League match. Gerard and Helder Rosario (own goal) scored for the locals, and Weligton for MCF.

In the last encounter between both teams, in Asturian homelands, Sporting beat Málaga 2-1 in the 18th league match of the 2011/12 season. Local goals by Gálvez and Trejo. Van Nistelrooy scored for the Blue and Whites.