Malaga media slams Fulham after 2-2 draw walk-off

Malaga Hoy has criticised Fulham's conduct following a 2-2 draw in the 36th Costa del Sol Trophy. The local newspaper described the London club's decision to walk off the pitch as bizarre and childish.

The dispute began when officials awarded a penalty to Málaga CF at the conclusion of the match. Fulham players vehemently protested the decision, arguing that such penalties were not included in the match contract. The visitors also claimed the delay put them at risk of missing their flight home. However, Malaga Hoy stated that the version of events provided by Fulham is not convincing.

Manager Alvaro Arbeloa was involved in the confrontation, making a scene after the late penalty was awarded. He was subsequently shown a straight red card for his interaction with the match officials. Following this, Calvin Bassey urged his teammates to leave the field after they had said goodbye to the supporters.

The stadium atmosphere turned ironic as the home fans responded to the walk-off. Supporters chanted "Champions, champions!" while a Málaga player took mock penalties. The crowd also chanted "Where is Arbeloa? Where is Arbeloa?" before showing affection to the Málaga players.

While the newspaper noted that Fulham served as a useful sparring partner for Málaga's preparations, it maintained that the club acted poorly. Malaga Hoy insisted that the home side did nothing wrong and should not face any criticism for the incident.