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A pre-season friendly between Malaga and Fulham recently ended in one of the most bizarre ways possible. The match, played for the Costa del Sol Trophy, finished in a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes on Wednesday night, August 12, at the Estadio La Rosaleda in Malaga, Spain. However, instead of a standard conclusion, the game ended with a dispute over a penalty shootout, a red card for the manager, and a one-sided penalty without a goalkeeper and trophy celebration. Read the full explanation of the controversy below.
Málaga convidou o Fulham para o seu troféu de pré-época e o jogo ficou empatado 2-2.
O clube inglês alegou que penáltis não estavam no contrato e abandonou o relvado após os 90 minutos…
… e o vencedor foi ‘decidido’ com um penálti sem guarda-redes 😂 pic.twitter.com/yT9H9RSFZY
— B24 (@B24PT) August 12, 2026
Why did Fulham refuse the penalty shootout?
After the match ended in a tie, Malaga expected a penalty shootout to determine the winner of the trophy. Fulham refused to participate. The English club stated that both teams had agreed before the match that there would be no penalty shootout in the event of a draw. Furthermore, Malaga later confirmed this detail, noting that participating in a sudden shootout would have caused the Fulham squad to miss their scheduled flight home.
In an official statement addressing the incident, Fulham clarified their stance: “Thank you for your excellent support in Malaga this evening! We can confirm that prior to the match, both teams agreed that there would not be a penalty shootout in the event of a draw.”
Thank you for your excellent support in Malaga this evening! 🤍
We can confirm that prior to the match, both teams agreed that there would not be a penalty shootout in the event of a draw. pic.twitter.com/E0O9I0OHqR
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) August 12, 2026
The disagreement on the pitch led to Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa stepping in and protesting the attempt to hold a shootout, standing by the pre-match agreement and his team’s tight travel schedule. He instructed his team to leave the field instead of taking the kicks. Because of his active protests and his decision to withdraw his players from the pitch, the referee issued Arbeloa a red card.
How did Malaga win Costa del Sol Trophy?
With the Fulham players and coaching staff returning to their dressing room, the match officials and Malaga players remained on the field. To settle the Costa del Sol Trophy, the Malaga players proceeded to take their penalty kicks anyway. Since Fulham had left, there was no goalkeeper in the net. The Malaga players took turns scoring into the empty goal, celebrating with their cheering fans, and officially claiming the pre-season trophy.
