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The outcome had no significance, yet on a typically sunny afternoon along Spain’s Costa del Sol, this felt like the nadir for Malaga.

They were hosting mid-table Real Sociedad but despite five matches remaining in the campaign, the Andalusians were relegated. Levante’s last-minute winner three days earlier had put the club out of their misery, less than five years after reaching the Champions League quarter-final.

The Fonda Sur section – reserved for the most vocally supportive element within Malaga's La Rosaleda stadium – lay empty for the first five minutes as a form of protest against the running of the club. Swathes of empty seats elsewhere captured the apathy.

As fans slowly re-entered in the fifth minute, the chants started: "Al Thani vete ya", sang the fans, requesting the club’s president – a member of Qatari's ruling family – leaves the club. Then it turned to "Jose vete ya", in reference to the club’s coach Jose Gonzalez.

The players were not exempt from the criticism: "Jugadores mercinarios" (mercenary players), sang the fans. Finally, there was a scattering of 'Husillos vete ya' – the club's sporting director Mario Husillos also must go.

Malaga won the game 2-0 amidst a poisonous atmosphere. Their fifth win of the season, but they were whistled off with white handkerchiefs. They failed to pick up a point in their remaining four games.

The undeniable feeling around the club was that relegation must prompt a total clear out from the top down, starting with president Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani. Husillos had returned to the club six months earlier, following the dismissal of predecessor Franscesc Arnau.

(Image: Malaga CF)

Remarkably, it was the sixth time the Argentine had joined the club – he signed for three separate spells in his playing career, went on to coach their B side and this was his third stint as transfer guru.

His first spell in the role coincided with new West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini’s final season at Malaga, when the club reached the Champions League last eight. Only unfortunate officiating decisions prevented Los Boquerones, who had never before competed in the competition, from reaching the last eight.

Within Spain, Husillos forged a strong reputation in working together with club academies and helping build bridges to help their progression into the first-team squad. He was particularly valued at Malaga for his ability to negotiate big profits on player sales, as he demonstrated when sanctioning moves to Arsenal for Santi Cazorla and Nacho Monreal.

Pellegrini's departure to Manchester City also saw a change in sporting director – who are hired and fired regularly across Spain – but he was return to La Rosaleda six months later. Al Thani was overseeing major cutbacks at the club; despite an initial wave of investment he was seemingly getting cold feet and wanted to draw upon the skills of Husillos to stop the outward flow of cash.

(Image: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

The sporting director secured cut-price deals for Moroccan forward Nordin Amrabat, Ivorian defender Arthur Boka, Venezuelan Roberto Rosales, midfielder Ricardo Horta from Portugal and Mexican shot-stopper Guillermo Ochoa. The money generated from the exits of Isco, Joaquin, Jeremy Toulalan and Sergi Darder was not reinvested back into the first-team squad.

Despite a perceived regression in ability, Malaga defied the odds to secure successive top-half finishes. The era of Al Thani austerity had appeared to extinguish any hopes of further European exploits yet equally, a flourishing youth system and astute transfer policy appeared to be establishing their status within Spain’s top flight.

Last season, they finished 15 points clear of relegation but this time it all went wrong. Husillos had left his role in December 2015, making way for Arnau. However, the former Barca goalkeeper was used as a human bodyguard by Al Thani and took the heat for a weak 2017 transfer window which in turn led to a disastrous start to the season.

Top scorer Sandro Ramirez, midfield powerhouse Ignacio Camacho and Spain international Pablo Fornals – whose development, alongside his current Villarreal teammate Samu Castillejo, is credited to Husillos – all departed. In October, Husillos was quoted by Spanish media as returning to the club yet again: "I'm joining Malaga with all the enthusiasm in the world and I'm very happy."

(Image: Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

His work could not start until January, when the club had amassed just 11 points from 19 matches and sat rock bottom of La Liga. Eight players arrived yet only one – Arsenal youth player Ignasi Miquel – commanded a transfer fee.

The Malaga ship had long since been sunk thanks to the administration not only tightening their belts but also failing to provide any direction or coherence off the pitch. This was at such stark contrast to the early days of Al Thani’s rein, when Pellegrini and Husillos combined to guide the club to remarkable European nights.

The challenge at West Ham may prove just as tough.

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