Fulham quit friendly in Spain over penalty at Trofeo Costa del Sol

Fulham left the pitch in the second half of their pre‑season friendly against Málaga after protesting a penalty decision, prompting a walk‑off in the Trofeo Costa del Sol held in Spain. The match, which ended 2‑2 after a symbolic penalty, saw the English side abandon the game in protest.

Pre‑season friendly turns contentious

While Paris Saint‑Germain (PSG) was completing another lap around the Supercopa de Europa, the two clubs met in the framework of the Trofeo Costa del Sol disputed in España. The encounter was billed as a routine warm‑up but quickly turned into a flashpoint.

Fulham abandon the match

At the 91st minute, the score read 2‑1 in favour of the Premier League side when Málaga were awarded a penalty that Fulham deemed incorrectly given for an alleged handball. Álvaro Arbeloa, El director técnico of Fulham, reacted angrily and was shown a red card.

Following the regular time, as Málaga prepared for a penalty shoot‑out, captain Calvin Bassey approached the referee and announced that Fulham were withdrawing from the contest.

In response, local striker Eneko Jauregi stepped up and took a “penalty” that he converted, giving Málaga a symbolic victory as the visitors exited the stadium. The official statement claimed the Fulham squad left because “the penalties were not in the contract”.

Fulham later posted on social media, confirming that both teams had agreed beforehand that no penalty shoot‑out would take place in the event of a draw. The message was signed with the tag (Prensa Fulham).

The final tally was recorded as 2‑2, with Málaga being awarded the Trofeo Costa del Sol after the English side refused to take part in the shoot‑out. Jauregi’s goal was celebrated by the home crowd at the Rosaleda.

Premier League sees many debutants

Beyond the controversy, the pre‑season period saw eleven coaches set to debut in the Premier League, either through appointments or promotions. Among the most notable are Álvaro Arbeloa at Fulham, Marco Rose at Bournemouth, and other newcomers such as Pierre Sage at Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner at Nottingham Forest.