Málaga CF will play the Costa del Sol Trophy against English Fulham on August 12 at La Rosaleda, a week before their league debut against Atlético de Madrid.
Málaga CF has already confirmed its opponent for this pre-season's Costa del Sol Trophy. The blanquiazul team will face Fulham, a Premier League side managed by former Madrid player Álvaro Arbeloa, next Wednesday, August 12 at 21:00 at La Rosaleda stadium. This will be the final preparation test before returning to the Primera División.
The summer tournament, one of the most traditional in Spanish football, celebrates its 36th edition this year and will feature sponsorship from Cervezas Victoria for the first time, which lends its name to the trophy. The event will allow Málaga fans to see their team before the league debut, which has been postponed by a week due to the rescheduling of the first match against Atlético de Madrid, now set for Wednesday, August 19 at 21:00.
This postponement, caused by several Atlético players' participation in the World Cup final stages, has given Málaga more time to complete their summer preparation. The team coached by Sergio Pellicer has already played a friendly against Leicester City, which ended in a 3-3 draw, and is scheduled to play another this Thursday against Al-Ittihad featuring En-Nesyri.
The pre-season will continue next week with two matches on consecutive days: the first on August 6 against Al-Arabi SC from Qatar at Marbella Football Center at 20:00, and the second, the Ciudad de Ceuta Trophy against AD Ceuta the following day, August 7 at 19:00. The Costa del Sol Trophy against Fulham will conclude the summer preparation.
Fulham, competing in the Premier League, will be the first English team to participate in the Costa del Sol Trophy since 2012, when Everton visited Málaga and lost 1-0 to a goal from Weligton. Other British teams such as Newcastle (2006), Derby County (1974), Tottenham Hotspur (1965 and 1966), and Blackpool (1963) have previously been rivals in this tournament. This will be Fulham's first participation.
Málaga returns to the Primera División eight years after their last promotion, and the match against Fulham will be the last opportunity for Pellicer to finalise tactical details and give minutes to players before the league starts. The Málaga fans are eagerly looking forward to seeing their team in a historic setting like La Rosaleda, which will once again host a high-level match against a top-tier English opponent.
The Costa del Sol Trophy was first held in 1961 and reached its 35th edition last year, with Real Betis as the opponent and a 3-1 victory for Málaga, a result that marked the start of a historic season for the club. This year, with Fulham as the guest, the tournament promises excitement and good football.
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