The Malaguistas, in 7th place in the standings and still unbeaten with 9 points, are away to the Red and Whites in 16th place with 5 points.
Iosu Galech Apezteguía will be in charge of the match. The 33-year-old referee from Navarra is in his sixth season in the Second Division with a total of 111 games officiated (48 home wins, 24 draws and 39 away wins). The Canary Islander Raúl Martín González Francés will be in charge of the VAR.
Players in common Granada CF-Málaga CF
Oti, Méndez, Zúñiga, Ricard, Manolo Herrero, Paco Esteban, Geijo, Buonanotte, Iturra, Uche, Ochoa, Recio, Juankar, Peñaranda, Success, Alberto Bueno, Antoñín, Lombán, Vadillo and Ignasi Miquel
(*) Malaguista Carlos Puga was part of the Granada CF youth ranks
(**) Former Malaguistas Cristian and Alberto López played for Club Recreativo Granada, the reserve team headed up by ex-Blue and White player Jon Erice, featuring former reserve team players Julio Martínez, Mario da Costa and Eu
(**) Diego González, former MCF defender (2017-20), spent a season with Granada CF ‘B’. Aarón Escandell, ex Atlético Malagueño goalkeeper (2013-17), played for Granada CF. Former reserve team players Hugo Vallejo and Miguel de la Osa trained within the Red and White youth ranks
Coaches in common Granada CF-Málaga CF
Ismael Díaz, Joaquín Peiró and José González
Players in common Granada CF-CD Málaga
Fernández*, Mitje*, Calderón*, Patricio*, Bachiller, Carbelo, Méndez, González, Molina, Ben Barek, Tosco, Jorge Vaquer, Serrano, Carrión, Rojas, Tello, Toni, Paquito, Antonio Álvarez, Ignacio, Onofre and Diego López
(*) Under the CD Malacitano name
Coaches in common Granada CF-CD Málaga
Paco Bru, Pasarín, Lelé, Domingo Balmanya, Jenos Kalmar, Marcel Domingo, Carmona Ros and Ben Barek
Players who debuted with Málaga CF against Granada CF at Los Cármenes
• Rafa (Granada CF 1-1 Málaga CF, 11/05/1997)
• Trobbiani (Granada CF 1-0 Málaga CF, 05/10/1997)
Match info
• Blue and White captain Alfonso Herrero, the only Malaguista who has played all minutes (450) of all league games to date, accumulates two consecutive matches with a clean sheet.
• Dioni and Antoñito are the top Malaguista scorers with 2 goals each. Local player Uzuni was the ‘pichichi’ of the category in 22/23, and so far this season has scored 1 goal.
• Málaga CF have scored points in their first two away games this season, after drawing on the opening day in Ferrol (2-2) and on matchday 4 in Córdoba (0-0).
• Whereas Granada CF earned a point from their first three home games in the championship. After losing to Albacete (1-2) and Huesca (1-3), they drew against Deportivo de la Coruña (1-1) two weeks ago.
Stats and facts
• The third time Málaga CF and Granada CF will face on another at Nuevo Los Cármenes in the Second Division. The previous two matches both ended in a 1-0 win for Granada in 18/19 and 22/23.
• In the First Division and Second Division B, the total number of official matches in Granada is 10, with 1 win, 3 draws and 6 losses for Málaga (7 goals scored and 12 conceded). The Blue and White team's victory was in the elite, in the 16/17 season, by 0-2 with a brace from Sandro Ramírez.
• CD Málaga played in Granada 14 times in the Second Division, plus another four times as CD Malacitano. In total, out of these 18 matches, the first 3 against the then-named Recreativo Granada, ended in 4 wins, 5 draws and 9 losses for the Malaguistas, with 21 goals scored and 28 conceded.
• Legend Ben Barek. The Moroccan played for Granada CF (1956-58), achieving promotion to the First Division in 1957. In 1958 he signed to CD Málaga, where he remained until 1968, achieving three promotions to the First Division and one to the Second Division. From 1978 to 1980 he coached Granada CF in the Second Division. The following season he moved to the CD Málaga dugout, later also coaching in the final stage of the extinct Blue and White club (1990-92).
• In the eight seasons played in the Second Division, on matchday 6, Málaga CF obtained 4 victories, 1 draw and 3 defeats.