2001-2002 Season

It was a year of change. Serafín Roldán relieved Fernando Puche, who was responsible for the brilliant progress from Second Division B to the Second and from Second Division to the First, from his role of Club president. The director was from Granada but settled in Barcelona, assumed the responsibility, being the object of unforgettably loud whistles when he was introduced to the squad at La Rosaleda shortly before the season began. This was largely due to the fact that heroic players, like Rufete, De los Santos, Movilla and Agostinho, who were part of the midfield the year before and who were key to Málaga’s best ever result in its First Division history, were sold.

What was interesting that, amidst the heckling at his presentation, Roldán promised that in time Málaga would get into Europe, that there would be 20,000 season ticket holders and that the youngsters of Málaga B would play in the Second Division, with an academy filled with talented youngsters who would reinforce the first team. And later he was proved right.

At a sports level, the great Peiró reinvented a new midfield with Gerardo, Miguel Angel, Romero, Musampa and together with the appearance of the magic of Sandro was enough for the four players previously mentioned to fade into the distance. And at the top, the firepower of the mythical ‘Double D’, Darío and Dely, would do the rest. The double ‘Panagol’ triumphed over Sevilla in Pizjuán in the 30th game of the League. Málaga had trouble getting started and ended the first half with only 21 points and in fifteenth place after the 18 games played. But the second half was magnificent, and they returned to be near a European position.

Málaga ended in 10th place and maintained their hopes of a European spot until the very final game of the season, when they managed an excellent 1 – 2 victory against Espanyol in the Montjuic with goals from Litos and Musampa.

Dely Valdés was the top goal scorer that season with 10 goals, closely followed by Darío Silva and Kiki Musampa with 9 goals apiece.