Malaga CF administrator defends his management: 'I joined a club that was going to disappear and changed that'

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José María Muñoz feels he is being targeted: 'I want to believe it's not true. There are interests in Malaga CF and some people have actively opposed me'

Antonio Góngora

Málaga

Friday, 9 January 2026, 16:50

With his appearance before the media to respond to allegations regarding his management of Malaga CF and his involvement in the 'caso Vera' (a judicial investigation into a suspected insolvency controversy), current judicially appointed administrator of the football club José María Muñoz wanted to separate the two issues.

Accompanied by his lawyers, Muñoz used the opportunity to defend his management of the club against criticism and claims that a person under investigation is not qualified to manage a club.

"The first thing I want to defend is the presumption of innocence. I think that we are obliterating it in Spain. The police and the ministry present their reports and a court decides. If the club was being harmed, I would approach this differently. Almost six years ago, I joined a club that was going to disappear and I changed that, solely through hard work and honesty. We go through annual reviews of the accounts and LaLiga is constantly monitoring the clubs," he said.

On whether he feels that he is being targeted, he said: "I want to believe it's not true. Besides, I don't like to play the victim role, as I think it's cowardly. The police and the public prosecution are doing their job and I respect that."

Muñoz said that "there are many interests" in Malaga CF and that "there was hostility" from the moment the court appointed him to run the club when the previous leadership was removed. "There have been people actively opposing me. If I decline someone's request, like letting a certain person in or things like that, they get upset. What I focus on are the accounts. We work to ensure the sporting side has the maximum possible funds, as happened this summer. Without anyone's help, just stumbling blocks," Muñoz stated.

In response to the recent letter from the small shareholders' association, in which Muñoz was described as having a "dictatorial attitude", he said: "It seems to me that the letter is basically saying that questions aren't being answered. To prevent that, a notary is present to record everything. Questions are asked and those that are very specific, like how much of Horta's money could be used, are answered within seven days.

"Someone accompanying the APA said that the report of the accounts used to be 300 pages and now it is 80. The content of the accounts is very regulated and if I fail to put something in the auditors' reports, they flag it. Since I arrived, I have answered everything that can be answered. What surprises me is that, previously, the accounts were approved unanimously and there were no questions. I report directly to the court, I make quarterly reports. Everything is answered."

Muñoz also used the opportunity to address the club's fans: "Together, we're invincible and when we row in the same direction, we can grow. I went to Gijón and there were Malaguistas of all kinds, I didn't hear any complaints or protests. On the contrary, they gave me a lot of encouragement. It helps that the ball is going in: the team has won three games in a row and the important thing is that the team keeps moving upward. We all have to work for that."