Malaga’s Qatari owner Sheikh Abdulla Bin Nasser Al-Thani is not known for making public statements about his wishes for the club, but his latest declarations in Arab-language newspaper Al-Sharq certainly make interesting reading. The statement reveals plans to build Malaga a ground which will be one of the most impressive in Spain, and it has already been given a name – Qatar Stadium.
“With Qatar named hosts for the 2022 World Cup I aim to build a stadium which will carry its name. It will be the first of its type in the world to be named after my country and the ideal capacity would be around 65,000 spectators. It will, therefore, be the third largest in Spain after Real Madrid and Barcelona.” While not strictly true if Atletico Madrid’s plans to build a 73,000 capacity arena in two years time are fulfilled, it will still be a shot in the arm for a modest club such as Malaga.
He also told of his intention to construct a football academy: “I have already purchased a piece of land measuring 120,000 square metres on which I intend to establish the Malaga Football Academy. This will include ten mini-stadiums where children can play football and various steps have already been taken to get the project off the ground. One of them is the decision to employ Antonio Fernández as director of football. He is one of the most important men in Spanish sport and has been instrumental in the discovery of many stars in La Liga. Fernandez will work alongside different members of the backroom staff in finding and recruiting players of different ages.”
In addition, the complex would double-up as a modern training facility for the first team squad, who at present use the city’s athletic stadium - and the Sheikh hopes to have it up and running in record time. The start of the 2011/12 season has been earmarked as a possible launch date. His right-hand man, Vice-President Abdullah Ghubn, was due back in Spain before Christmas and hopes to finalise a deal for 500,000 square metres of land in the Puerto de la Torre area of the city, which will accommodate both projects. The total cost will be over £300m and as the site is adjacent to a new ring-road currently under construction it would give easy access from all parts of the Costa del Sol.
When the new owners took over in the summer there was consternation in some quarters that the purchase of the club was just a ‘hobby’ of which they would soon tire. Yet the Sheikh has also targeted the millionaire’s playground of nearby Puerto Banus as investment potential and has repeatedly said he is in Spain long-term. Plans were previously in place for the local council to build a new ground if the Spain/Portugal bid for the 2018 World Cup had been successful, but it now seems as if Malaga will be getting a new stadium after all.
