The Malaguistas, with 19 points and sitting 13th in the standings before the start of the current league matchday, will face this rival in 22nd place with 15 points.
Germán Cid will officiate #MálagaRealZaragoza. The 38-year-old from Segovia is in his third season in the second tier. He will be assisted in the VAR by Óliver De la Fuente from Valladolid.
Players in common Málaga CF-Real Zaragoza
Cornago, Movilla, Sánchez Broto, Antonio Hidalgo, Apoño, Eliseu, Lolo, Pablo Barros, Uche, Roberto, Borja Bastón, Erik Morán, Juankar, Buenacasa, Adrián González, Peybernes, Febas, Delmás, Manu Molina, Iván Calero, Keidi Bare and Paulino
(*) Jorge Pina, former player for Málaga CF and Málaga ‘B’ and currently assistant coach of the Malaguista Juvenil ‘A’, also played for Real Zaragoza ‘B’.
Coaches in common Málaga CF-Real Zaragoza
Marcos Alonso and Natxo González
Players in common CD Málaga-Real Zaragoza
Alonso*, Olivares, Ramos, Sagrado, Elzo, Lasheras, Vidal, Vallejo, Goicoechea, Bustillo, Heredia, Modesto, Pineda and Belman
(*) As CD Malacitano
(**) Antonio Iznata, a Juvenil player for CD Málaga, also played for Real Zaragoza.
Coaches in common CD Málaga-Real Zaragoza
Antonio Sorribas*, Manuel Olivares, Francisco Bru, Luis Urquiri, Juan Otxoa, Domingo Balmanya and Luis Costa
(*) As CD Malacitano
Players who debuted with Málaga CF against Real Zaragoza at La Rosaleda
- Wanchope (Málaga CF 0-0 Real Zaragoza, 12/09/2004)
- Lobato (Málaga CF 0-3 Real Zaragoza, 10/01/2007)
Match info
• Alfonso Herrero is the only Málaga CF player who has played all 1,440 minutes of the league season. The goalkeeper from Toledo ranks third so far in total saves (55). If he plays against Zaragoza, he will reach 100 official matches for Málaga CF.
• After the Copa debut in Talavera de la Reina of the reserve team players Arriaza and Badiola, the number of footballers who have worn the MCF shirt now stands at 464.
• Rafa, with five goals, is Málaga’s top scorer in the league. Dani Gómez, Soberón and Kodro, each with two goals, are the visitors’ leading scorers.
• David Larrubia is the second-best dribbler in the league with 44 completed dribbles, only behind Deportivo’s Yeremay (47). The number ‘10’ has played all 16 league matches, all as a starter (11 of them completing the full 90 minutes).
• Málaga CF, playing at home, have obtained four wins, three draws and just one defeat (15 points) in eight matches, with 16 goals scored and 9 conceded.
• Real Zaragoza, as an away team in the league, have earned two wins, one draw and five defeats (7 points) in eight matches, with 7 goals scored and 12 conceded.
Stats and facts
• This will be the seventh time Málaga CF and Real Zaragoza face each other in the Second Division at La Rosaleda. In the six previous encounters, Málaga won 3-1 in the 2018/19 season and 3-0 in 2022/23; drew 1-1 in 2021/22; and lost 0-1 in 2019/20, 1-2 in 2020/21, and 1-2 last season, 2024/25.
• Additionally, MCF and Zaragoza have faced each other 12 more times at Martiricos, 10 in the First Division and two in the Copa del Rey, with Málaga recording four wins, five draws, and three losses against this rival.
• Real Zaragoza will become the third-most faced opponent in Málaga CF’s history. The Maños are currently tied with FC Barcelona, Real Madrid CF, Athletic Club de Bilbao, and RCD Espanyol, each having played 36 matches against MCF. Only RC Deportivo de la Coruña (43) and Sevilla FC (38) have been faced more often.
• CD Málaga played twice at home in the Second Division against Real Zaragoza. They recorded a draw (0-0) in the 1946/47 season and a win (3-0) in 1977/78 under coach Viberti, with goals from Aráez, Migueli, and Juan Carlos Pérez-Frías.
• In the nine seasons Málaga CF have played in the Second Division, they have recorded six wins and three defeats in matchday 17. The most recent positive precedent was a 1-0 home victory at La Rosaleda against FC Cartagena in the 2024/25 season.