Juanfran Funes finally has time to breathe and fine-tune his starting eleven. The Málaga CF manager heads into the international break with the mission of defining a stable team after an atypical start to the season, featuring seven matches in one month and a squad ravaged by injuries. The team, sitting 20th in LaLiga EA Sports with just three points from a possible twenty-one, urgently needs to find a competitive base for the upcoming clash against Espanyol at La Rosaleda.
The centre-back pairing appears to have clear frontrunners. Juan Berrocal, the young Fuengirola-born defender who has played every minute to date at a good level in his top-flight debut, and Fernando Calero, who brings experience in the highest category, are the favourites to start. Their consolidation would leave Einar Galilea on the bench, after he began the campaign as a starter but lost his place following some errors. Ángel Recio completes the group of available centre-backs, while Diego Murillo remains the only defender yet to return from injury. At full-back, José Salinas and Carlos Puga are ahead in the race for the starting spots.
Midfield remains the big question
The area with the most lingering doubts is the centre of the park. The defeat to Villarreal and the subsequent match against Getafe have focused the debate on names like Izan Merino, Carlos Dotor, Dani Lorenzo and, above all, Pablo Martínez. The latter is seen within the club as the player who makes the team tick best, the central figure around whom the others orbit. His defensive performance in the last match strengthened his case. In contrast, Carlos Dotor is considered a weakness in Funes's midfield options, despite scoring Málaga's only goal in the 1-3 defeat to Villarreal. The recovery of Jeans Cajuste remains without a date, and Ramón has not been able to surpass 45 consecutive minutes on the pitch.
Wing shortage eases with Aznou
The lack of pure wingers is another headache. With Ochoa and Lobete undergoing surgery and out of action, and Juan Cruz struggling with muscular overload, the only available options for the flanks are Joaquín and Larrubia. A light at the end of the tunnel is the recovery of Aznou from his muscular issues. The player, who has operated as a winger during his career, has yet to debut for Málaga CF but could add much-needed depth to the position. His return to group training is positive news for the coaching staff.
The striker dilemma continues
Up front, no forward has made the position their own indisputably. The team is debating whether to play with one or two strikers. Chupe scored against Deportivo La Coruña on the opening day, but he has only that one goal and is not in peak physical condition. Adrián Niño, for his part, has accumulated very limited minutes after returning from injury. Other options like Eneko Jauregi, who made a positive impression in the first half against Getafe, or Ramón, are looking for their chance. The lack of goals is a pressing problem, with only three scored and twelve conceded in the seven league matches.
With the Copa del Rey resuming at the end of October and no midweek games until April, Funes has a normalised weekly schedule to work with. The objective is clear: to earn points and climb from the bottom of the table. Decisions on the lineup will be made during training sessions ahead of the match on 9 October. Fans can follow the team's progress and check the full schedule on our fixtures page, as well as the current squad list for all the roster details. The game against Espanyol, who arrive in 15th place, presents a key opportunity to turn things around.
Background and full detail: Sport.es
