Málaga CF used the extended international break to play a closed-door friendly against Córdoba CF at the Nuevo Arcángel on Thursday. Manager Funes arranged this joint training session to ensure his players maintained competitive sharpness during a 19-day gap without an official match.
The team, sitting 20th in La Liga with just three points, changed their usual schedule to travel to Córdoba. The aim was to preserve intensity during a difficult spell, with a run of five games without a win. Players returning from injury, such as Calero and Adam Aznou, received valuable minutes in a high-tempo match where everyone gave their full effort.
Training session context
With the next fixture at La Rosaleda against Espanyol on 9 October, the coaching staff sought a solution for the long break without competition. This is not the first time the club has used this method, having previously held a similar session with Antequera. Funes has stated he wants his players "not to lose competitive rhythm" during this pause, which has been longer than usual. The team is looking for a turnaround after a tough start to the season, with just three points from seven matchdays and an average of 0.43 points per game. Their immediate objective is to improve their average possession time, which stands at 52 minutes per match, to create more chances and break the poor run of form.
Minutes for returning players
The session served to give playing time to footballers who needed it. Calero, who had lacked recent minutes due to injury, completed the match. Alongside him, Adam Aznou, Haitam and Álex Pastor also got their chance on the pitch. Images from the behind-closed-doors encounter showed these players in action with no new injuries reported. The friendly match was a key opportunity for these players to regain match fitness and competitive rhythm ahead of the next league challenge.
The squad will rest over the weekend before resuming work on Monday at La Rosaleda, with focus turning to Espanyol. The opponent, currently 15th in the table, will visit Málaga in a key match to try and climb out of the relegation places. The complete squad is finalising preparation by checking the upcoming fixtures and La Liga standings, where they aim to turn their season around.
Background and full detail: Sport.es
