Co dziewczyna z Widnes robi, pisząc o klubie piłkarskim Malaga? Cóż, skoro pochodzę z miasteczka między Liverpoolem a Manchesterem, można by pomyśleć, że interesuję się piłką nożną. Jednak dopiero odkąd mieszkam w Hiszpanii, naprawdę się w to wciągnęłam. W latach 2005–2007 mieszkałam w Barcelonie. W ciągu tych dwóch lat Barça wygrała praktycznie wszystko, co dało się wygrać. Oczywiście dałam się porwać tej całej atmosferze, paradom zwycięstwa i imprezom. Wpadłam w to po uszy!
Po powrocie do Malagi wybrałem się na kilka meczów Malaga FC. Potem zacząłem zgłębiać wszystko o tym lokalnym klubie. Nie jestem bynajmniej ekspertem od piłki nożnej, ale mam nadzieję, że spodobają ci się te historie i anegdoty, którymi się z tobą dzielę. A także moje propozycje, jak zwiedzić kilka miejsc związanych z klubem Malaga FC – oczywiście na blogu „rower”!
Klub piłkarski Málaga – krótka historia
Początki klubu piłkarskiego Málaga
Klub piłkarski Málaga powstał w 1904 roku. Mimo swojej długiej historii, istnieje wiele innych hiszpańskich klubów, które powstały wcześniej. Nowoczesną piłkę nożną do Hiszpanii wprowadzili brytyjscy robotnicy migrujący pracujący w kopalniach Rio Tinto w Huelvie w XIXdo Wiek. Pierwsza drużyna klubu piłkarskiego z Malagi grała kiedyś przeciwko zagranicznym marynarzom, którzy cumowali w porcie w Maladze.
FC Málaga dzisiaj
Obecnie klub piłkarski Malaga gra w drugiej lidze hiszpańskiej ligi piłkarskiej: „La Liga”. Malaga F.C. to jedyny klub w CAŁEJ historii hiszpańskiej piłki nożnej, który najwięcej razy schodził do drugiej i trzeciej ligi, a potem wracał do pierwszej – aż około DWADZIESTY raz! Właśnie dlatego nazywają go „el equipo ascensor” – drużyną-windą. Jak więc możesz sobie wyobrazić, za każdym razem, gdy awansują do pierwszej ligi, świętowanie jest prawie większe niż wtedy, gdy Hiszpania wygrała mistrzostwa świata.
Przez lata klub piłkarski Malaga nosił różne nazwy:
Malaga FC (1904), Malaga CF (1907), Malagueno FC (1912), Malaga FC (1915), FC Malagueno (1920), Malaga FC (1921), Real Malaga FC (1927), Malaga Sport Club (1930) i CD Malacitano (1933–1983), CD Malaga (1941)… żeby wymienić tylko kilka!
Pierwsze boisko piłkarskie klubu Malaga FC
Co ciekawe, pierwsze „oficjalne boisko piłkarskie” klubu Malaga Football Club znajdowało się w Baños del Carmen. Zostało otwarte w 1918 roku. Podobno w tamtych czasach klub miał tylko jedną piłkę, kiedy grał w Baños del Carmen. Dlatego za każdym razem, gdy piłka wpadła do morza, musieli przerywać grę. Tłum i drużyny cierpliwie czekały, aż chłopiec od piłek wypłynął na morze, żeby ją wyłowić.
Baños del Carmen
Baños del Carmen to stara „balneario” (stacja kąpielowa), która była i nadal jest jednym z najpopularniejszych miejsc spotkań towarzyskich w mieście. To uroczy, stary budynek tuż nad morzem, na końcu promenady w Maladze. Znajduje się zaledwie 4 km od sklepu „MALAGA BIKE”. Wybierz się na fajną przejażdżkę rowerową wzdłuż wybrzeża do pierwszego stadionu klubu piłkarskiego Malaga, kierując się naszymi wskazówkami Trasa „rower” na wschodnim wybrzeżu.
STADION KLUBU PIŁKARSKIEGO MALAGA
Od 1941 roku stadion La Rosaleda – co dosłownie znaczy „Ogród Różany” – jest siedzibą klubu Malaga F.C. Mieści nieco ponad 30 000 widzów, co plasuje go na 18.do największy stadion w Hiszpanii i czwartydo największy w Andaluzji. Łatwo się tam dostać na rower – możesz pojechać tam na rowerze i kibicować Malaga FC wycieczka po stadionie i muzeum.
Pracownicy stadionu są bardzo rower-przyjaźni. Pozwolą ci zostawić rowery na terenie stadionu na czas zwiedzania. (Nie próbuj tego na Old Trafford!) A po wizycie na stadionie może warto przejechać jeszcze kilka kilometrów i odwiedzić Ogrody botaniczne A co z zaporą Limonero? Oczywiście, czeka cię tam niesamowity widok na miasto i góry.
LA ROSALEDA GOSZCZY MISTRZOSTWA ŚWIATA
Back in 1982, Spain played host to the World Cup. Malaga F.C. was overjoyed when their stadium was chosen to host some of the matches. Mainly, this was because they knew that they would make improvements to the stadium. Also local businesses were rubbing their hands together anticipating great financial benefits.
However, once the draw was made their joy became somewhat deflated. They had been hoping for Kuwait so that the rich Arabs would come and spend all their Kuwaiti Dinars. They didn’t get Kuwait- they got New Zealand, Russia and Scotland. Now, remember we are talking 1982 and soccer hooliganism was rife in Britain.
Naturally, the locals were very apprehensive about these Scots coming and destroying their city. Anyhow, the final of the round ended up with Russia vs. Scotland, which the Spanish press dubbed as Vodka vs. Whiskey. Scotland beat Russia and to the great surprise of the locals it was reported in the press the next day that: the Scots just got drunk, sang songs and jumped in fountains.
MALAGA FOOTBALL CLUB recent history
In 2010, Qatar sheik Al Thani bought the club. That year, the most season tickets in ALL of Malaga Football Club’s history were sold. Even the mayor bought one!
The sheik contracted Manuel Pellegrini as coach. (Pellegrini had been given the boot from Real Madrid before coming to Malaga. Mourinho replaced him as coach in Madrid). The sheik, (or ‘el jeque’ in Spanish,) signed some big name players for the 2010-11 season. For example: Martín Demichelis, Julio Baptista, Salomón Rondón and Eliseu. That season Malaga Football Club finished 11do in the Spanish League.
Al Thani continued to sign more big names for the 2011-12 season. Nacho Monreal, Jeremy Toulalan, Joaquín, Santi Cazorla and the Dutch ex-Madrid and Manchester United player Ruud Van Nistelrooy. (As a matter of fact, years later, we at MALAGA BIKE had the pleasure of having Van Nistelrooy on our City Bike Tour!)
Malaga Football Club finished in 4do place in La Liga that season. Therefore, for the first time in the club’s history, they qualified to play in the Champion’s League.
During that season, Real Madrid was due to come to play against Malaga at the Rosaleda. At a press conference the day before the match, their infamous coach, Mourinho, set about undermining Pellegrini- probably wanting to unnerve him before the match. He told reporters that if Real Madrid kicked him out he would NEVER go to Malaga, he would go to some great club in either England or Italy, but Malaga? NEVER!
Well, the Malagueños went crazy. The press were out on the street asking everyone what they thought of Maurinho’s comments. Hilariously, the president of the Tourist Board of the Costa del Sol was quoted as saying: We don’t WANT Maurinho in Malaga- not even as a TOURIST!
MALAGA FOOTBALL CLUB in the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
I myself lived the experience of that ”Champions” year in Malaga. I can honestly say that it was one of THE most exciting years of my life in Malaga. Everyone became a fan of Malaga Football Club! The excitement was palpable.
Incredibly, the club made it to the quarter-finals. They were winning 2-1 against Dortmund and at the last minute, due to some suspect referee decisions, Dortmund scored two goals and that was the end of Malaga in the Champions League.
However, the homecoming was one massive street party and the welcome the team received was worthy of Champion League winners.
Over the next few years, the club had many financial problems. Al Thani didn’t pay the players and UEFA banned the club from playing in the 2013-14 European cup.
The club has remained in the second division since then. Even though EL JEQUE the sheik Al Thani was responsible for the accumulated debts and the banning of the team in European competitions, it is hard to find voices of dissent towards him in Malaga. Why? Because he gave us the most exciting year of football EVER when Malaga was in the Champions League. It will be remembered with pride and emotion forever.
MALAGA FOOTBALL CLUB- THE KIT
In the rest of Spain, the Malaga Football team is known as ‘los Blanciazules’- the white and blues. So, yes- you have guessed it- their official first kit is blue and white stripes. Supposedly the blue is for our almost constantly blue sky and the white for the foam of the sea. You can buy Malaga FC paraphernalia at various offical Malaga FC shops located around the city, and, of course, at the stadium.
MALAGA FOOTBALL CLUB- the fans
Before we talk about the fans, we have to talk about food. Well, I should say fish. And one fish in particular. One of the most typical dishes you can try in Malaga is ‘boquerones’- fresh fried anchovies or anchovies marinated in vinegar. In fact, the nickname of Malagueños outside of Malaga is BOQUERONES. I used to think it was because they ate a lot of boquerones here but it is actually because the waters around here are full of …yes!…boquerones.
Anyhow, let’s get back to the topic at hand- the fans. One of the biggest Malaga F.C. supporter clubs is called “Frente Boqueron” which means the Anchovy Front! Unfortunately, such a non-threatening name does not do justice to the ’ideals’ of the group.
Very right wing, it is famous- or infamous- for making Hitler salutes at matches, destroying stadium seats and basically being aggressive and violent. Not the kind of behaviour a fresh anchovy conjures up!
The Frente Boqueron is a ‘peña`. Peña means rock but it can also mean a social club with a particular common interest. The idea being that the group is so united it is as solid as a rock.
Malaga F.C. has approximately 38 peñas. The extreme opposite to the Frente Boqueron is the Malaga Hinchas. Hincha basically means football fan and this group is the biggest of all the peñas. It is famous for never stopping cheering on their team- no matter how badly they are playing. It is great fun to be in their midst as it seems that half the time what is going on in the crowd has nothing to do with what is going on on the pitch.
The Guiri Army
One very unique peña is the GUIRI ARMY. Guiri is the name that the Spanish give to us foreigners. The Guiri Army is a bunch of ex-pats from England- living along the coast who come in coach loads from Benalmadena to cheer on their team. They roll out an enormous English flag during every match.
One day, at a match when Malaga was losing badly and the fans were in despair, one of the Guiri Army ripped off his top, grabbed a nearby flag and ran the whole length of the stadium. He stopped at the other end and waved the flag for a few minutes and then ran back the full length of the stadium.
From there on in it became a tradition at every match with all of the Spanish Hinchas chanting the theme-tune of Rocky and then shouting: Esa guiri esa guiri hey!hey!hey!
When Malaga was in the Champions League, the flag-waving guiri tradition was stopped. In spite of that, the Malaga FC fans won the 12do man award for their support during away games in the Champions League.
There are approximately 3000 foreign Málaga F.C. fans at every home match.
If you plan to take in a match on your visit to Malaga and want to feel part of the crowd, why not learn the words to the anthem of Malaga Football club? Just listening to “Malaga- la Bombonera” will get you in the spirit, for sure!
ANTONIO BANDERAS & MALAGA F.C.
Did you know that Antonio Banderas, the world famous Hollywood actor, was born in Malaga? It’s not possible to talk about Malaga without mentioning his name, as he is the best ambassador for the city we could possibly ask for.
What you probably didn’t know was that Antonio’s childhood dream was to become a professional footballer. However, at the age of 14, he broke his foot which brought that dream to an end. Apparently, he goes to any Malaga match that happens to be on when he is in town.
MALAGA FOOTBALL CLUB & RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS
Decades ago there were even more churches in Malaga than there are now. As well, there were many convents. One of the many football pitches over the years of Malaga FC was in a street called ‘Christ of the Epidemic’ (Calle Cristo de la Epidemia).
It was situated next to one of the largest convents in the city. Whenever a shot missed the goal, the ball would land in the patio of the convent. As the players only had one ball, they would have to plead with the nuns for its return. However, the nuns wouldn’t give the ball back until the players made a small donation to the convent. (Some players suspected the nuns of praying for them to miss the goal post).
Spanish Football Club Traditions
Spain being a Catholic country, it is a tradition that football clubs go and make a floral offering to their favourite virgin in thanks for any victory achieved. The Virgin of Malaga F.C. is the Virgen de la Victoria, The virgin of the Victory- the patron saint of Malaga, housed in a church of the same name- la iglesia de la Victoria.
Unfortunately, Malaga FC has never had the occasion to ‘thank’ the virgin for a victory as they have never really won anything. However, they do go there at the start of the season in order to pray for a victory. Then, just in case that isn’t enough, they go to another church to make an offering to the Divina Pastor, the Divine Shepherd, the patron saint of Sport.
Why not cycle to the Iglesia de la Victoria and visit its impressive crypt?
It’s one of our 5 unusual must-see Malaga things – by bike.
Hopefully, Malaga Football Club’s fortunes will change in the coming years. I would recommend any football fan to go along to one of the matches. It is highly entertaining- and almost always warm! You can buy tickets on-line, at the stadium or in one of the official Malaga FC shops.
