WITH a view to promote sporting activities and expand its reach in Qatar, Spain’s Malaga Club de Fútbol participated in the just-concluded Aspire4sport exhibition.
Bought recently by Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al Thani for €10.5million, the club currently plays in Spanish La Liga league.
Victor Varela Luiz, communications director of Malaga FC, said: “This is for the first time in the history of the club that we are having an investor from the Middle East region.
We want to consolidate the club in La Liga and aspire for greater heights.” The Spanish league is quite popular around the world with soccer giants like Barcelona and Real Madrid on its rolls.
Malaga officials are hoping to create a fan base in Qatar and in other parts of the region.
Lauding the efforts of Sheikh Abdullah al Thani at Malaga who has also inherited the club’s debt of €36 million, Varela said: “Since his arrival there has been a radical change in the sporting activities of the club.
Its budget has increased from €30m to €70m.” “Sheikh Abdullah al Thani has said that his goal would be to help Malaga FC consolidate its presence on the Primmera Division and fulfill the hopes of its teeming fans around the world with great professionalism and hard work,” said Luiz.
“A new beginning has been made by getting the services of former Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini and with the recruitment of new players,” added Luiz.
Luiz said that the club had experienced a manifold jump in facilities with the arrival of Sheikh al Thani.
“A new turf of good quality has been laid and noted professionals have been hired to maintain it,” said Varela.
“All the facilities used by trainers and players have been refurbished.
The locker rooms of hosts as well as visitors have been renovated; gymnasium, video areas, anti-doping laboratory and trainers’ offices have all been enlarged and refurbished,” said communications director of Malaga FC.
He said that improvements had also been made in the infrastructure earmarked for fans with a special section dedicated for the disabled people.
“Besides, a new state-of-the-art public address system has been acquired from the Johannesburg stadium which will provide a good audio visual experience to the spectators,” he added.
Established in 1948, Malaga is currently ranked 16th on the points table in La Liga this season and is a modest club whose highest rank had been seventh.
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