The Malaguistas, sitting 15th in the standings with 49 points before the start of this matchday, will face the Alicante-based team, currently 19th with 40 points and in the relegation zone to the Primera Federación.
The match will be officiated by Iosu Galech Apezteguía. The 34-year-old from Pamplona is completing his sixth season in the Second Division. He has already refereed Málaga CF three times this 2024/25 season, all of which ended in draws (Granada 2-2 Málaga, Burgos 0-0 Málaga, and Málaga 1-1 Levante). In charge of the VAR will be Raúl Martín González Francés from the Canary Islands.
Club Deportivo Eldense
The team from the Alicante town of Elda was founded in 1921. In its more than 100-year history, it has never played in the First Division, and has spent a total of seven seasons in the Second Division across three separate periods (1956–59, 1962–64, and currently since 2023).
As for players who have ties to both clubs, the current Eldense squad includes former Malaguistas Dani Martín and Sekou Gassama. Aarón Ñíguez, although he never made an official appearance for Málaga, played for Eldense during the 2021/22 season. Paco Fernández and Geovanni Barba, both former Atlético Malagueño players, also had spells at Eldense.
There are also historical links to the now-defunct Club Deportivo Málaga through individuals who coached both teams, such as Juan Ramón, Liz, and Antonio Ruiz. Liz was a player for CD Malacitano, while Ruiz played for CD Málaga and was a teammate of the legendary Abdullah Ben Barek. As for players, Camoto, Rufo, and Beato all represented both clubs during their careers.
Match info
• Alfonso Herrero is the only Malaguista to have played every single minute (3,420) of every match in LALIGA HYPERMOTION this season. The goalkeeper from Toledo ranks second in the league for saves, with a total of 139, an average of 3.66 per match. He is also among the top four contenders for the Zamora Trophy, with a coefficient of 1.03, and leads the league in clean sheets, having kept 16 so far this campaign.
• Dioni, with seven goals, and Antoñito, with six, are Málaga CF's top scorers this season. For the home side, Juanto Ortuño leads the scoring charts with eight goals.
• Víctor is the Malaguista who is one booking away from suspension, having accumulated four yellow cards in the current cycle. Pastor is available for selection again after serving a suspension against Granada CF.
• Málaga CF have recorded two wins, 10 draws, and seven losses on the road in the league this season, earning 16 points from 19 away matches, with 20 goals scored and 27 conceded.
• CD Eldense have registered five wins, six draws, and eight losses at home this season, earning 21 points from 19 matches, with 22 goals scored and 28 conceded.
Stats and facts
• This will be an unprecedented clash, as there are no previous encounters between Málaga CF and CD Eldense on Alicante soil.
• CD Málaga faced CD Eldense six times in official away matches. Four of these encounters took place in the Second Division, with Málaga securing one win (1-2 in the 1963/64 season), one draw (0-0 in 1958/59), and two home victories for Eldense (1-0 in 1956/57 and 2-1 in 1957/58). In the first historical meeting, during the 1941/42 season, Málaga triumphed 1-2 in a Promotion match to remain in Segunda. In the last encounter, Eldense won 2-0 in the first leg of the first round of the Copa del Rey in the 1976/77 season.
• In the eight seasons Málaga CF played in the Second Division, on matchday 39, the club recorded four wins, one draw, and three losses.
