La Liga Club Malaga Owes Footballers Between As Much As 40% Of Their Salary

La Liga club Malaga have "yet to pay 35-40% of the players wages" and have upset the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE) with their "disregard for contractual obligations," according to Sergio da Cunha of BETTOR.com. Despite finishing in the top four of La Liga last season and "earning the right" to play in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, the team is struggling financially. AFE President Luis Rubiales revealed that he is "unaware of how much the Qatari sheikh has invested at La Rosaleda, but knows that Malaga has problems with their creditors, which prompted Hierro to leave." Fernando Hierro was the team's General Manager (BETTOR.com, 7/17). In Madrid, MARCA's Adriano Espinal reported that Rubiales "confirmed the news of outstanding payments to the Malaga squad players." Rubiales said, "I am not speaking hypothetically. There is a situation of outstanding payments on June 30. Currently the footballers are owed between 35 and 40% of their salary" (MARCA, 7/17).