Malaga sealed its return to the Spanish top flight after eight years on Saturday with a 2-1 victory in the second division play-off final second leg in Almeria.
Juan Francisco Funes’ team won a tight Andalusian derby last weekend after the goalless first leg and were promoted.
Chupe and David Larrubia’s goals were enough to send Malaga back to La Liga, with Leo Baptistao pulling one back for Almeria, who fought to the end.
The hosts had Brazil’s Thalys sent off in stoppage time for fighting, and Malaga also ended up with 10 men when Aaron Ochoa received a second yellow card.
Malaga, which only played in the Champions League in 2013, was relegated from La Liga in 2018 and back to the third tier in 2023.
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Kick-off was delayed by half an hour after home fans stoned the Malaga team bus as it approached the stadium.
The first match was a nail-biting affair, and once the return match started it followed a similar pattern, with neither team wanting to blink first.
Malaga striker Chupe spurned the best chance of the first half, but he made amends in the second when he broke the deadlock in the 65th minute.
The Spanish striker slotted the ball home for his 25th goal of the season after Almeria gave the ball away as they tried to build from the back.
Larrubia doubled Malaga’s lead six minutes later, but Leo Baptistao pulled one back for the hosts to set up a frantic finale.
Tensions ran high, leading to the dismissals of Thalys and Ochoa, but eventually Malaga joined La Liga 2 winners Racing Santander and second-placed Deportivo La Coruna.
Published on June 21, 2026
