Each line is generated from a finding that cleared its evidence bar; nothing here is a generic coaching point. The grey line says what it rests on; the button opens the sequences.
In your own build-up area, play on one or two touches: don't try to dribble past their press, and keep first touches clean.
39% of their high regains come straight after the opponent tries to dribble past someone or takes a bad touch (league median 26%); only 9% come from forward passes.
Copy the sides that escaped it: Villarreal got out 77% (long on 18%).
Average escape rate against them is 54%.
When you win it, go down their right side immediately.
49% of the xG they concede after losing the ball comes down their right side (88 attacks, 16 shots), against 29% of their own attacking xG through that channel.
Let the ball go to Alfonso Herrero and press him when he receives.
Build-up exits made by Alfonso Herrero: the build-up carried on cleanly 30% of the time, vs 63% through anyone else (46 times).
Avoid conceding corners; mark Chupe first.
21% of their corners end in a shot; first contacts: Chupe (4), Ángel Recio (3), Dani Lorenzo (1).
Where each player takes the ball in each phase of their possession, and who passes to whom. Event data has no off-ball positions, so this is the shape of their touches — the standard event-data proxy. A phase is defined by where the ball is, so the dots sit inside that phase's third (shaded): read the order and the width, not the depth of each line. Malaga attack left to right.
attacking → · shaded = the build-up zone
567 build-up phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the progression zone
720 progression phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the final third zone
466 final third phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
Tackles, interceptions, recoveries, blocks, challenges and fouls in the opponent's final 40%.
156 in the window. The press on a build-up = the first two rows: 27 (2.7 a match).
| source | times | share | per match | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| press: settled build-up taken off them | 24 | 15% | 2.4 | 8% | |
| press: their restart forced into an error before they settled | 3 | 2% | 0.3 | 33% | |
| counter-press: won straight back after losing it | 9 | 6% | 0.9 | 11% | |
| second ball: the opponent touched it but never controlled it | 120 | 77% | 12.0 | 23% | |
| ↳ rebound after their own shot (saved or blocked) | 11 | 7% | 1.1 | 45% | |
| ↳ their cross / ball into the box, cleared | 50 | 32% | 5.0 | 28% | |
| ↳ their long ball, only headed or touched away | 11 | 7% | 1.1 | 18% | |
| ↳ after their own throw-in / set piece | 13 | 8% | 1.3 | 0% | |
| ↳ loose ball in their combination play (pass blocked or tackled) | 35 | 22% | 3.5 | 20% |
| opponent was | share | league | rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dribbling or a loose touch | 39% | 26% | 2 / 20 | |
| going long | 17% | 10% | 2 / 20 | |
| passing to a full-back | 13% | 17% | 14 / 20 | |
| taking a throw-in | 13% | 2% | 1 / 20 | |
| passing forward | 9% | 26% | 20 / 20 | |
| passing sideways | 4% | 5% | 15 / 20 | |
| passing back | 0% | 0% | 9 / 20 | |
| passing to the keeper | 0% | 2% | 13 / 20 | |
| a loose ball | 0% | 0% | 1 / 20 |
The opponents who went long most (33% of build-ups) got out 51% of the time; those who mostly played short (15% long) got out 56%. That is a lean, not proven at 20 matches (p=0.5972).
Best escapes: Villarreal 77%; Atletico 65%; Alaves 65%. One dot per match; hover for the opponent.
Most often started by David Larrubia (15), Carlos Dotor (11), Dani Lorenzo (11), Rafita (9).
| lost in | losses | won back within 5s | led to a shot |
|---|---|---|---|
| own third | 70 | 36% | 10% |
| midfield | 222 | 20% | 5% |
| final third | 311 | 20% | 2% |
19.2 opponent attacks per match after winning the ball in open play that broke forward fast or reached the final third. Shading and % = share of the xG they produced, by the channel they used. Malaga's goal is on the left. Central attacks carry more xG for every team, so compare with Malaga's own attacking xG in the same kind of channel (centre, or the average flank): right 49% conceded vs 29% own, centre 26% conceded vs 43% own, left 25% conceded vs 29% own.
Every real turnover, named by the situation it came from. "Fast" = the side with the ball reached the final third within 10 seconds. Only real turnovers appear here: for everything the press wins high, including restarts it forced into an error, see "Every ball won in the opponent’s third" in the press section.
| type | times | share | fast | shot | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won high from a settled build-up (press) | 22 | 3%lg 5% | 41% | 9%lg 12% | 0.2 | |
| Won after their long possession (10+ passes) | 91 | 14%lg 11% | 20% | 2%lg 4% | 0.1 | |
| Won straight back after losing it (counter-press) | 68 | 10%lg 11% | 37% | 9%lg 7% | 0.6 | |
| Won by stopping their counter | 38 | 6%lg 4% | 3% | 3%lg 4% | 0.1 | |
| Won in midfield | 146 | 22%lg 25% | 36% | 9%lg 7% | 0.6 | |
| Won deep in own third | 266 | 40%lg 37% | 15% | 3%lg 3% | 0.8 | |
| Won from their set piece | 33 | 5%lg 5% | 18% | 0%lg 4% | 0.0 |
| type | times | share | opponent fast | shot against | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost in own build-up under pressure | 60 | 9%lg 5% | 40% | 12%lg 13% | 0.6 | |
| Lost after own long possession (10+ passes) | 85 | 12%lg 11% | 20% | 4%lg 4% | 0.8 | |
| Lost straight after winning it | 66 | 10%lg 11% | 44% | 12%lg 9% | 0.6 | |
| Lost during own counter | 27 | 4%lg 4% | 30% | 4%lg 3% | 0.1 | |
| Lost in midfield | 186 | 27%lg 25% | 29% | 4%lg 6% | 0.7 | |
| Lost in the final third (attack broke down) | 226 | 33%lg 38% | 13% | 6%lg 3% | 1.0 | |
| Lost from own set piece | 41 | 6%lg 5% | 34% | 7%lg 4% | 0.2 |
Every controlled possession is typed by how it was played, and every real turnover (a possession that was established and then lost) by what the losing side was doing, how it lost the ball and what the winner did next. "Settled" = sustained or worked possessions; "unsettled" = short, second-ball, counter and direct possessions.
| type | times | share | ended in a shot | avg passes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 123 | 15%lg 13% | 13%lg 12% | 14.4 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 253 | 31%lg 27% | 8%lg 10% | 6.0 | |
| direct attack | 91 | 11%lg 13% | 4%lg 2% | 1.8 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 171 | 21%lg 23% | 1% | 1.7 |
| the side losing it was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 90 | 20% | 8% | 7% | 57% | 3% | 0.8 | pass cut out 46, long ball lost 18 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 205 | 21% | 15% | 8% | 49% | 7% | 1.4 | pass cut out 113, long ball lost 43 | |
| direct attack | 78 | 31% | 23% | 4% | 31% | 8% | 0.3 | long ball lost 45, pass cut out 21 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 148 | 36% | 11% | 3% | 43% | 7% | 0.8 | pass cut out 58, long ball lost 35 | |
| second-ball possession | 93 | 14% | 18% | 10% | 55% | 4% | 0.3 | pass cut out 47, bad touch 17 | |
| counter / fast transition | 36 | 25% | 14% | 6% | 47% | 6% | 0.2 | pass cut out 19, bad touch 9 | |
| set piece | 41 | 34% | 10% | 5% | 46% | 7% | 0.2 | pass cut out 18, long ball lost 10 |
| mechanism | times | share | led to a shot against | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pass cut out | 322 | 47%lg 48% | 5% | |
| long ball lost | 162 | 23%lg 22% | 4% | |
| bad touch | 91 | 13%lg 14% | 8% | |
| failed dribble | 63 | 9%lg 7% | 10% | |
| tackled / dispossessed | 48 | 7%lg 6% | 12% |
| the opponent was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 92 | 21% | 18% | 10% | 45% | 3% | 0.2 | pass cut out 51, long ball lost 19 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 176 | 24% | 16% | 7% | 44% | 6% | 0.8 | pass cut out 83, long ball lost 40 | |
| direct attack | 92 | 33% | 9% | 5% | 47% | 8% | 0.5 | long ball lost 47, pass cut out 25 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 124 | 26% | 13% | 8% | 49% | 7% | 0.7 | pass cut out 49, bad touch 25 | |
| second-ball possession | 94 | 19% | 15% | 2% | 55% | 2% | 0.2 | pass cut out 52, long ball lost 16 | |
| counter / fast transition | 53 | 9% | 9% | 11% | 58% | 2% | 0.1 | pass cut out 30, bad touch 12 | |
| set piece | 33 | 18% | 18% | 0% | 52% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 17, long ball lost 6 |
Fast attack = their final third or box reached within 10s. Secured = kept 10s+ or 4+ passes. Lost straight back = controlled, then lost within 5s. Can’t keep it = won the ball but never got it under control (cleared it, headed it away, blocked it or lost it at once).
Each phase split into the situations it is made of, every row with its league median and clips. Shots are their own category: a possession that ends in a shot has finished, it has not lost the ball.
| type | times | share | got out | reached the box | lost in build-up | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| from the keeper / goal kick, played out short | 50 | 16%lg 18% | 78% | 20% | 32% | 16% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, went long (bypass) | 25 | 8%lg 12% | 12% | 4% | 72% | 0% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, stuck / recycled | 22 | 7% | 0% | 5% | 32% | 5% | |
| from the back line, played out short | 29 | 10%lg 10% | 66% | 34% | 28% | 17% | |
| from the back line, went long (bypass) | 16 | 5%lg 6% | 25% | 12% | 69% | 0% | |
| from the back line, stuck / recycled | 10 | 3% | 0% | 10% | 50% | 20% | |
| from a throw-in, played out short | 17 | 6%lg 5% | 71% | 18% | 29% | 0% | |
| from a throw-in, went long (bypass) | 12 | 4%lg 3% | 17% | 0% | 75% | 0% | |
| from a throw-in, stuck / recycled | 7 | 2% | 0% | 0% | 57% | 0% | |
| straight after winning it, played out short | 47 | 15%lg 17% | 72% | 30% | 21% | 9% | |
| straight after winning it, went long (bypass) | 30 | 10%lg 10% | 27% | 13% | 63% | 0% | |
| straight after winning it, stuck / recycled | 40 | 13% | 0% | 2% | 55% | 0% |
| outcome | times | share | opponent shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| won it high | 13 | 5%lg 9% | 0% | |
| forced long, then won it back | 43 | 17%lg 23% | 0% | |
| forced long, they kept it | 17 | 7%lg 5% | 29% | |
| they played through short | 103 | 41%lg 37% | 14% | |
| kept them stuck (recycled back) | 76 | 30%lg 26% | 0% |
Won high = the ball won in the opponent's own third. Forced long = the opponent left its third with a long ball (then either lost it in that possession, or kept it).
| created by | shots | share of open play | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 4 | 5%lg 9% | 0.3 | 0.07lg 0.11 | 1 | |
| cutback | 8 | 11%lg 6% | 1.1 | 0.13lg 0.10 | 1 | |
| through ball | 1 | 1%lg 4% | 0.1 | 0.10lg 0.25 | 0 | |
| short pass / combination | 47 | 64%lg 54% | 3.1 | 0.07lg 0.08 | 2 | |
| long ball | 3 | 4%lg 5% | 0.1 | 0.05lg 0.07 | 0 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 8 | 11%lg 12% | 0.4 | 0.05lg 0.09 | 0 | |
| rebound / second ball | 3 | 4%lg 9% | 0.2 | 0.07lg 0.09 | 0 | |
| corner (set piece) | 20 | – | 1.3 | 0.06 | 2 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 5 | – | 0.3 | 0.07 | 0 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 7 | – | 0.2 | 0.03 | 0 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 1 | – | 0.1 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 2 | – | 1.6 | 0.79 | 1 |
| created by | shots | share | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 8 | 7%lg 11% | 0.9 | 0.12 | 1 | |
| cutback | 10 | 9%lg 6% | 1.4 | 0.14 | 3 | |
| through ball | 3 | 3%lg 4% | 1.1 | 0.38 | 1 | |
| short pass / combination | 54 | 50%lg 55% | 4.8 | 0.09 | 6 | |
| long ball | 5 | 5%lg 6% | 0.3 | 0.07 | 1 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 13 | 12%lg 10% | 1.3 | 0.10 | 2 | |
| rebound / second ball | 14 | 13%lg 9% | 2.0 | 0.14 | 2 | |
| corner (set piece) | 26 | – | 2.1 | 0.08 | 0 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 7 | – | 0.4 | 0.05 | 0 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 6 | – | 0.2 | 0.03 | 1 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 5 | – | 0.8 | 0.17 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 1 | – | 0.8 | 0.79 | 1 |
| ending | shots | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| goal | 6 | 6%lg 9% | |
| keeper held it | 12 | 11%lg 10% | |
| keeper parried it | 10 | 9%lg 13% | |
| blocked | 27 | 25%lg 26% | |
| off target | 49 | 46%lg 39% | |
| hit the woodwork | 3 | 3% |
Penalties excluded. A "save" by an outfield player is a block.
After their keeper held a shot (14), median release 12s; league share turned into a fast attack 14%:
| their keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 3 | 21% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 2 | 14% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 9 | 64% |
After their own shot was held by the opponent keeper (12); league share broken against fast 17%:
| the opponent keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 4 | 33% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 0 | 0% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 8 | 67% |
Fast = the keeper's side reached its final third within 15s of the save. Quick = first pass within 6s.
The other half of each phase above. Their own phases break down when they lose the ball (real turnovers only); their press and block break down when the opponent gets through. Each card: how often, how, where, who is involved, and what it costs them.
214 balls lost in 567 build-up phases (38%)
giveaways per 10 build-up phases: 3.2/10 · league 2.4/10
What it costs: 35% turned into a fast attack · 48% the opponent can’t keep · 6% led to a shot · 0.8 xG
220 balls lost in 720 middle-third phases (31%)
giveaways per 10 middle-third phases: 2.7/10 · league 2.9/10
What it costs: 30% turned into a fast attack · 37% the opponent can’t keep · 5% led to a shot · 1.2 xG
222 balls lost in 466 final-third phases (48%)
deliveries into the box that fail to arrive: 61% · league 57%
What it costs: 12% turned into a fast attack · 57% the opponent can’t keep · 6% led to a shot · 1.6 xG
59 deliveries into the box did not arrive
36 of 55 counter-attacks lost (65%)
attacking transitions that produce a shot: 17% · league 17%
What it costs: 25% turned into a fast attack · 47% the opponent can’t keep · 6% led to a shot · 0.2 xG
55 counters: 12 ended in a shot, 36 were lost, 7 slowed down or went out
119 of 221 opponent build-ups got out (54%)
opponent build-ups that get out cleanly: 54% · league 50%
What it costs: 39% reached the final third · 13% led to a shot · 2.0 xG
Sides are their own: "down the left" = down their left.
140 box entries in 609 opponent final-third phases (23%)
opponent final-third phases that create: 43% · league 48%
What it costs: 41% led to a shot · 9.7 xG
Sides are their own.
41 set pieces lost in open play
What it costs: 34% turned into a fast attack · 46% the opponent can’t keep · 7% led to a shot · 0.2 xG
Their corners and free kicks that were lost in open play, and what the opponent did next.
Takers: Pablo Martínez (33), Joaquín Muñoz (8), Juan Cruz (5)
First contact in the box: Chupe (4), Ángel Recio (3), Dani Lorenzo (1), Rafa Rodríguez (1), Adrián Niño (1)
What each player does in the phases, counted over the window. Only lines that clear a minimum count are shown.
The comparison behind the report: each behaviour as a rate per opportunity, ranked among the 20 La Liga clubs' full seasons, with how many of the 10 matches sat on the same side of the league median. "Style" is never a verdict.
| behaviour | Malaga | league median | rank | matches | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style | final-third entries down the right | 56% | 42% | 1 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | final-third entries down the left | 33% | 44% | 20 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| style | turnovers lost in the own build-up under pressure | 9% | 5% | 1 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| weakness | balls lost in the final third that led to an opponent shot | 6% | 3% | 1 / 20 | 6/10 | |
| weakness | high-press regains per 10 opponent build-ups | 0.5/10 | 0.8/10 | 20 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | box entries from the right | 53% | 35% | 1 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| weakness | opponent build-ups won high | 5% | 9% | 20 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | turnovers won by stopping a counter | 6% | 4% | 2 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| weakness | build-ups that left the own third (or went for it) | 74% | 81% | 19 / 20 | 10/10 | |
| weakness | build-up giveaways per 10 build-up phases | 3.2/10 | 2.4/10 | 2 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | final-third entries with a long ball | 11% | 19% | 19 / 20 | 10/10 | |
| weakness | giveaways regained within 5s (counter-press) | 22% | 26% | 19 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | box entries from the left | 25% | 38% | 20 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| style | one two wall pass per 100 final third phases | 0.9/100 | 1.7/100 | 19 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| style | turnovers won high while pressing the build-up | 3% | 5% | 20 / 20 | 6/10 | |
| weakness | build-ups that carried on into the next third under control | 41% | 49% | 19 / 20 | 6/10 | |
| weakness | high transitions per 10 turnovers won | 0.7/10 | 0.9/10 | 19 / 20 | 6/10 |
| phase | route | times | shot | their average |
|---|
| split | behaviour | a | b | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | build-up exits with a long ball | 48% | 23% | 0.0003 | |
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | build-ups that carried on into the next third under control | 33% | 50% | 0.0055 | |
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | final-third entries by carrying it in | 13% | 29% | 0.0118 | |
| when trailing vs when level | build-up exits with a long ball | 23% | 41% | 0.0148 | |
| when trailing vs when level | build-ups that carried on into the next third under control | 54% | 38% | 0.0195 | |
| when trailing vs when level | final-third phases that created (box entry or key pass) | 51% | 41% | 0.0268 | |
| second half vs first half | middle-third phases that progressed into the final third | 70% | 58% | 0.0324 |
| date | opponent | result | npxG | opponent press | what happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-19 | at Atletico | L 0-2 | 0.3–0.8 | pressed aggressively | Lost 0-2 and the chances agreed (0.28 v 0.83 xG). Atletico pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 9.8, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: middle-third phases that progressed into the final third 43%, far below their usual 64%. |
| 2026-08-24 | vs Deportivo | D 1-1 | 0.6–1.2 | mid-intensity press | Drew 1-1 (0.61 v 1.17 xG). Deportivo pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 16.2, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: final-third entries by carrying it in 43%, far above their usual 19%. |
| 2026-08-30 | at Real Madrid | L 0-4 | 0.8–2.5 | mid-intensity press | Lost 0-4 and the chances agreed (0.79 v 2.51 xG). Real Madrid pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 16.4, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: counter-attacks 10.0/match, far above their usual 5.6/match. |
| 2026-09-06 | vs Levante | D 0-0 | 0.7–0.8 | mid-intensity press | Drew 0-0 (0.65 v 0.77 xG). Levante pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 15.7, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: opponent final-third phases that created 24%, far below their usual 42%. |
| 2026-09-13 | at Celta Vigo | D 1-1 | 0.6–1.4 | sat deep / passive | Drew 1-1 (0.62 v 1.40 xG). Celta Vigo defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 20.6, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: giveaways that led to an opponent shot within 15s 13%, far above their usual 4%. |
| 2026-09-17 | vs Villarreal | L 1-3 | 0.6–2.1 | pressed aggressively | Lost 1-3 and the chances agreed (0.61 v 2.07 xG). Villarreal pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 12.4, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: final-third phases that created (box entry or key pass) 61%, far above their usual 45%. |
| 2026-09-20 | at Getafe | L 0-1 | 0.7–1.0 | pressed aggressively | Lost 0-1 and the chances agreed (0.74 v 0.99 xG). Getafe pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 11.4, league median 15.0) and went long on 55% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: build-up exits down the left 14%, far below their usual 42%. |
| 2026-10-09 | vs Espanyol | D 1-1 | 0.8–1.2 | mid-intensity press | Drew 1-1 (0.79 v 1.21 xG). Espanyol pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 18.7, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: build-up exits with a long ball 7%, far below their usual 34%. |
| 2026-10-18 | vs Real Sociedad | L 2-5 | 1.3–1.9 | mid-intensity press | Lost 2-5 and the chances agreed (1.33 v 1.90 xG). Real Sociedad pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 14.3, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: PPDA, strict (opponent passes in their own 60% per committed ball-winning action) 34.1, far above their usual 18.2. |
| 2026-10-23 | at Alaves | D 1-1 | 0.7–2.4 | pressed aggressively | Drew 1-1 (0.72 v 2.43 xG). Alaves pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 10.4, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: build-ups that carried on into the next third under control 12%, far below their usual 42%. |