The atmosphere at La Rosaleda has always been a powerful weapon for Málaga CF, and this March it should be more than ever. If there has been a moment in its history in which the blue and white team must entrust itself to its people and the atmosphere that they are capable of creating the almost 20,000 fans who come every weekend to the stands of Martiricos is this. The club is risking its survival in professional football and what happens throughout this month of March can be decisive for the options of salvation for those of Sergio Pellicer. The good news, that three of the next four league matches will be at home.
The blue and white outfit clings to La Rosaleda to rejoin the fight for permanence in LaLiga SmartBank. In his fiefdom is where he has achieved four of the five victories that he has added this season and that is where he will put 9 of the next 12 points in play. Some points that will be essential for them to stay at home if the blue and whites want to look at the last leg of the competition with some optimism.
The first clash of those that will be played in Martiricos throughout the month of March is not a final, it is a ‘very final’. It is a very hackneyed term, but it is reality. If Pellicer’s men are not capable of winning this weekend they will have one foot in the First RFEF, the third category of national football. Málaga CF is 8 points away from staying on top and this Sunday (6:30 p.m.) hosts precisely the team that marks salvation, Racing Santander, trained by the former malaguista Jose Alberto Lopez. In the event of obtaining a more than necessary victory, the Blue and Whites would once again be 5 points away from leaving the red zone, with 12 games to go. But if they lose, the distance can increase up to 11 points -if other rivals do not fail-, a difference that can already be practically insurmountable.
Málaga CF matches in March
- J.30. MALAGA CF-Racing D5/18.30 hours
- J.31. Las Palmas-MALAGA CF S11/21.00 hours
- J.32. MALAGA CF-Levante V17/21.00 hours
- J.33. MALAGA CF-Leganés L27/9:00 p.m.
After that meeting, Pellicer’s men will have a tough confrontation, the only one that will play at home in the month of March. They will have to travel to the Canary Islands to face UD Las Palmas, the current leader in the category (Saturday 11, 9:00 p.m.). It is not even necessary to remember how the duel of the first round ended, even with Pablo Guede on the Malaga bench.
And after the complicated visit to island lands, Málaga CF will close the month with another two consecutive matches at La Rosaleda. First, they will host Levante, 2nd place, in a position of direct promotion (Friday 17, 9:00 p.m.) at the blue and white arena. And then, 10 days later, the Leganés will arrive at La Rosaleda (Monday 27, 9:00 p.m.).
They will all be very complicated encounters, that of Racing de Santander for being a direct duel and those of Levante and Leganés for seeing each other’s faces with teams that fight to climb to First division, but if Málaga wants to have any chance of staying, it must tie up as many points as possible in their next three games at their stadium. And in between, if possible, scratch something on your visit to UD Las Palmas.
The margin of error is minimal. Málaga CF’s unfortunate season has brought it to an extreme situation when there are still 13 days left to finish the championship. La Rosaleda has to lead the way, starting with this Sunday.