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Five hundred fans turned out to see Malaga's open training session on Monday.
Will Malaga's game this weekend against struggling Reus still go ahead?

Will Malaga's game this weekend against struggling Reus still go ahead?

The Catalan side could take to the field with only ten professionals after various players cancelled their contracts over unpaid wages

PEDRO LUIS ALONSO / SERGIO CORTÉS

Friday, 4 January 2019, 15:32

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With 5.2 million euros of debt, wages not paid for the last three months and just ten professional players now on the books, Malaga's opponents this Sunday, Reus, face an uncertain future.

The fixture at La Rosaleda itself (kick-off 8pm) has been under threat for some time ever since the Catalan side's players unanimously decided to terminate their contracts last month. Since then there has been plenty of to-ing and fro-ing and the result has been just ten pros remaining under contract and a scheduled return from their winter break on 2 January, just four days before the fixture is due to take place. By contrast, Malaga returned to training on Monday with an open training session.

While it seems probable at this present moment that the fixture will go ahead as planned, it wouldn't be a massive surprise if the Catalan side did a no-show.

After all, with a squad so small, their relegation from the division is surely a formality, and with La Liga rules dictating that sides must have seven professionals on the field at any one time, injuries or suspensions could cause them massive problems.

If Reus decide to withdraw from competition, Malaga will be automatically given six points (wins from the games they have not yet played) with the margin of the wins decided by the average of goals conceded by Reus, divided by the games played (26 in 19 games).

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