The Malaguistas, currently 17th in the standings with 49 points, face this Asturian team sitting 15th with 50 points.
Saúl Ais Reig will officiate the #MálagaRealSporting match. The 39-year-old from Alicante is wrapping up his 10th season in Spain’s Second Division. He has refereed Málaga CF twice this 2024/25 season, once at La Rosaleda in a 1–0 win over SD Huesca, and once away in a 0–0 draw against CD Tenerife. In charge of VAR will be David Gálvez Rascón from Madrid.
Players in common Málaga CF-Real Sporting
Emilio, Rafa, Cañizares, Ismael, Lekovic, Popovic, Rodrigão, Cristian Díaz, Calandria, Diego Castro, Pina, Molinero, Xavi Torres, Duje Cop, Michael Santos, Jony, Luis Hernández, Scepovic, Dani Martín, Peybernes, Fran Villalba and Yáñez
(*) Former Málaga goalkeeper Dani Barrio came up through the youth ranks of Real Sporting, just like Gerardo and Peláez, two Asturian midfielders who were part of the reserve squad during Málaga CF’s last promotion to the top flight in the 2007/08 season.
(**) Former Malaguistas Saúl and Gascón played for Real Sporting ‘B’. Iván Hernández and Andreu, who once played for Málaga CF ‘B’, also had spells at Real Sporting. Omar, a former defender for Atlético Malagueño, came through the Mareo youth ranks.
Coaches in common Málaga CF-Real Sporting
José Manuel Díaz Novoa and José Alberto López
(*) Former Malaguista coach Juan Ramón López Muñiz was a Sporting player between 1990 and 1996
Players in common CD Málaga-Real Sporting
Camilo Liz*, Bachiller, Gundemaro, García, Comas, Cesáreo López, Vera, Beascoechea, Pellicer and Megido
(*) As CD Malacitano
Coaches in common CD Málaga-Real Sporting
None
Players who debuted with Málaga CF against Real Sporting at La Rosaleda
• Sánchez Broto (Málaga CF 1-1 Real Sporting, 13/09/1998)
• Febas (Málaga CF 2-2 Real Sporting, 09/01/2022)
• Vadillo (Málaga CF 2-2 Real Sporting, 09/01/2022)
Match info
• Alfonso Herrero is the only Malaguista to have played every single minute (3,510) of every match in LALIGA HYPERMOTION. The goalkeeper from Toledo ranks second in the league for saves, with a total of 141, averaging 3.62 per match. He’s also in the ‘Top 4’ for the Zamora Trophy with a coefficient of 1.03, and holds the record for the most clean sheets this season, with 16 so far.
• Dioni, with seven goals, is Málaga CF’s top scorer in the league. Juan Otero, with 11 goals, is the leading scorer for the visiting side.
• Einar is unavailable due to suspension after receiving a straight red card last week in Elda. Malaguista Víctor is one booking away from suspension, currently on four yellow cards.
• Málaga CF have recorded nine wins, six draws, and four losses at home (33 points) in 19 matches, with 18 goals scored and 13 conceded.
• Real Sporting have registered three wins, nine draws, and seven losses away from home (18 points) in 19 matches, with 24 goals scored and 27 conceded.
Stats and facts
• This will be the ninth time Málaga CF and Real Sporting de Gijón face each other at La Rosaleda in the Second Division. In the previous eight encounters, Málaga won twice (3–2 in the 2007/08 season and 1–0 in 2020/21), with the remaining six matches ending in draws.
• MCF and Sporting also faced each other six times at Martiricos in the First Division between 2009 and 2016. The Blue and Whites recorded one draw and five wins. The most notable was a 1-0 victory (goal by Rondón) on the final matchday of the 2011/12 season, which secured the club’s best league finish ever (4th place) and qualification for the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds.
• CD Málaga played 16 official matches at home against the Gijón team. Twelve of these were in the First Division, with seven wins for the Blue and Whites, three draws, and two victories for the visitors; two matches took place in the Second Division, with one win for each team; one encounter was in the then Copa del Generalísimo, won by Málaga 3-2 in the 1971/72 season; and another in the now-defunct Copa de la Liga, with a Gijón victory 1-0 in 1982/83.
• The last official historic match between CD Málaga and Sporting de Gijón at Martiricos took place in the top flight during the 1989/90 season. It was matchday 23, and Málaga secured a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal by Antonio Mata in the 86th minute.
• In the eight seasons Málaga CF have played in the Second Division, on matchday 40 they have recorded three wins, three draws, and two losses. The most recent positive result was in the 2022/23 season, with a 2-0 home victory at La Rosaleda against CD Mirandés.
