When Malaga's status rocketed following a takeover from the Qatari royal family, it appeared that the route to the promised land of Champions League football would be a smooth one.
But the Andalusians head to Athens for the return leg of their Champions League play-off with Panathinaikos on the back of a journey that has taken a twist or two more than even the most thrill-seeking fan would have hoped for.
Financial problems have meant La Liga's biggest spenders of last season have become the only team in Spain not to sign a single player this summer.
With little money in Spain outside the Barca and Madrid duopoly, there was a real chance for Malaga to become a powerful presence in La Liga following Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Thani's initial big impression.
A net £50m was spent on players last summer - more than either Barcelona or Real Madrid - and £12m was pledged to build a smart new facility for the club's youth academy.
Arrival in the group stage - and potential ties against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich - have been the aim ever since summer 2010.
And after scraping home in fourth spot on the final day of last season, it seemed like they had taken that chance.
No comments:
Post a Comment