Right at the best moment of the season of the Malaga CF -and almost the last year and a half-, luck has begun to turn its back. Precisely, when he needed a random blow so that the rivals began to click and thus reduce the distance with permanence as soon as possible. However, almost everything is coming from behind for the Martiricos team in what is now an agonizing race for a place in LaLiga SmartBank 2023/2024.
For now, Málaga CF is doing what it had to do, although it’s sure a bit late. In the last 5 games they have added 10 of the 15 possible points against Levante (1), Leganés (3), Andorra (0), Villarreal B (3) and Cartagena (3). The most unexpected blow could have been the defeat against those from the Principality, more for the image than for the result, but thinking about what those three points could have served is useless, much less in football.
The big problem is that the rivals are delivering at a much higher level than expected with really amazing results.. For example, Mirandés beat a Levante (1-2) on Monday that was risking getting closer to direct promotion, a result that if it had been the other way around would have brought oxygen to Martiricos. Real Oviedo also beat Las Palmas (0-1), Racing overwhelmed Albacete (4-1) or Zaragoza stopped Granada dead (1-0), to give just a few of the many examples.
What has happened now? A cut in the standings that does not favor Málaga CF at all. What the blue and white team wanted was to put as many rivals in the fight as possible. That instead of having five teams in the fight for permanence there would be seven or eight to have more options. And that is now the big problem. Sergio Pellicer’s team is five points away from permanence -Racing de Santander, which is six according to the average-. What happens is that the 17th, which is now Sporting de Gijón, is already nine points awaythree games difference.
Calendar
The Málaga CF calendar is simple and straightforward: Lugo, Ponferradina, Huesca, Mirandés, Alavés and Ibiza. The burning nail is those three games against the relegation rivals, but the visit of Mirandés is also marked in red. To the ponferradina -19th-, who tie at 36 points with the malacitanos, He still has Andorra, Real Oviedo, Málaga CF, Huesca, Albacete and Sporting. While Ibiza and Lugo, 21st and 22nd, respectively, are a couple of games away from certifying relegation.
He racing -18th- does not have an affordable final sprint either: Granada, Ibiza, Mirandés, Eibar, Oviedo and Cartagena. Although they have in their favor that they are the ones who receive the Andalusians and the current leaders in El Sardinero.
From those of José Alberto López comes the important step. He Sporting He surpasses him by four points (45), so a victory and a draw would already bring him closer to the magical figure of 50 that permanence has historically meant. The Asturians have ahead Cartagena, Lugo, Villarreal B, Oviedo, Eibar and Ponferradina.
To the Mirandeshowever, they remain Burgos, Andorra, Racing, Malaga, Granada and Albacete. It is the most difficult calendar of those below, but a victory against Levante did not appear in the pools with which they took a giant step towards salvation.
There are many accounts, fewer places. Now we will also have to play with the pressure, where Málaga CF has won a lot. The goal remains the same, there are reasons to believe, but what no one can deny is that there is a race ahead that will be agonizing until the end.