The Spanish FA have rejected a request from Malaga to postpone their Segunda clash with Cadiz this weekend, the club have confirmed.
The Costa del Sol club had requested the game be postponed due to international call-ups, suspensions and injuries meaning they cannot meet their quota of players for the clash.
Regulations state that clubs throughout La Liga – the top two divisions of Spanish football – must be fielding at least seven first-team squad players at any time, meaning Malaga cannot simply dip into their youth squad.
The Andalusian club cannot afford to make the youth players first-team squad players and so cannot include them in action, as they are not included in their official wage structure – the club are currently operating at their salary limit.
As reported by Marca earlier this month, the Andalusian club need a boost in finances in the region of €5-6m to carry on operating in the second tier beyond the new year.
Reus were automatically relegated from the second-tier last season, were banned from professional football for the next three years and been hit by a €250k fine.
Indeed, previous reports claimed that whilst the possibility of Reus being relegated last year stood at 100% due to the finances, the same chance of the Andalusian club going this year stands at 75%.
The report adds that even if Malaga manage to avoid being relegated by the authorities this season, it may be an even worse outcome ahead of next season.
It claims that in such an event, the Costa del Sol club will remain in the second tier but be banned from signing any new players while also seeing further slashes to their current budget.
