The Blue and Whites advanced past the first round of the Copa del Rey by beating CD Estepona FS away from home, with a 1–3 win. The home side also qualified away from home, defeating CF Rayo Majadahonda 1–4 in the previous round.
The match will be officiated by Saúl Ais. The 40-year-old from Alicante has officiated a total of 13 Copa del Rey matches in his career (5 home wins, 3 draws, and 3 away wins).
The rival
CF Talavera de la Reina werre founded in 2011 following the restructuring of the club after the disappearance of CF Talavera (1948–2010).
In their short history, they have spent five seasons in the former Segunda División B, two in Segunda RFEF, and three, including the current campaign, in Primera Federación after earning promotion last season (24/25).
The team from Toledo competes in Group 1 of Primera Federación and currently sits 19th in the table, second from bottom, with 12 points from 14 matches. They have recorded 3 wins, 3 draws and 8 losses, scoring 14 goals and conceding 18.
Former Malaguista right-back Bilal is part of the Talavera de la Reina squad. In previous seasons, under its current name, winger Josue Dorrio and Sergio Buenacasa also played for the Toledo-based side, as well as former Atlético Malagueño players such as Abeledo, Víctor Ruiz and Paul Quaye, and Gerrit from Málaga CF ‘B’.
Match info
• All Málaga CF players registered with the first team, except for Moussa and Ramón, have featured this 2025/26 season in either the league or the cup.
• Juan Francisco Funes makes his debut as Málaga CF head coach in the Copa del Rey. If he gets minutes, reserve team player Pablo Arriaza would make his official first appearance for Málaga CF.
• Alfonso Herrero, who has yet to feature in the Copa del Rey during his time as Málaga’s goalkeeper, has racked up 99 official appearances in his two and a half seasons at the Club.
• Lobete, Dorrio and Aaron Ochoa are Málaga’s three goalscorers so far in this season’s ‘KO’ competition. For the hosts, Di Renzo leads the way in the 25/26 Copa with two goals.
Stats and facts
• A first-ever meeting between the two sides under their current names, Málaga Club de Fútbol and Club de Fútbol Talavera de la Reina. Their predecessors, CD Málaga and Talavera CF, also never faced each other in an official match.
• Málaga CF’s most recent appearance in the Copa del Rey second round ended in victory, back in the 2023/24 season. The team won 1–0 at La Rosaleda against CD Eldense, with Juanpe scoring in the 41st minute of the first half.
• CF Talavera de la Reina’s best Copa del Rey campaign came in the 2017/18 season, when they reached the third round after defeating another Málaga-based team, Antequera CF, 3–1 at El Prado in the previous round.
• Málaga CF previously played at El Prado against the now-defunct Talavera CF during the historic 1997/98 season. The match took place in the third round of the promotion playoffs to Segunda División, ending 2–1 in favour of the home side, coached by Gregorio Manzano, who would later manage Málaga. Guede was Málaga’s goalscorer that day.