Málaga 3–3 Leicester City
International Club Friendly | 26 July 2026

Málaga CF and Leicester City played out an entertaining 3–3 draw at the Estadio La Rosaleda in a pre‑season friendly that offered plenty of attacking action and late drama. Both sides used the fixture to sharpen match fitness, with the end‑to‑end scoreline reflecting the open nature of the contest.

First‑Half Fireworks

Leicester, under new management after Enzo Maresca’s departure, started strongly. Jamie Vardy, still a key figure at 39, opened the scoring in the 8th minute, latching onto a through ball from Wilfred Ndidi and calmly finishing past Málaga’s Alfonso Herrero. The home side hit back quickly: in the 19th minute, winger David Larrubia cut inside from the left and curled a shot into the far corner to make it 1–1.

Málaga then took the lead when striker Roberto Fernández converted a penalty after a handball in the box. But Leicester responded before the break: Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall’s free‑kick deflected off the wall and into the net, leaving the score 2–2 at half‑time.

Second‑Half Exchanges

The second half saw both teams make wholesale changes. Leicester regained the lead in the 58th minute through Patson Daka, who pounced on a loose ball inside the area. Málaga pushed for an equaliser and eventually found it in the 82nd minute: substitute Loren Zúñiga headed home from a corner to secure a share of the spoils.

Key Observations

• Attacking intent: Both coaches encouraged forward play, leading to numerous chances and a high‑energy game.
• Defensive work needed: The six goals highlighted areas for improvement at the back, especially on set pieces and counter‑attacks.
• Vardy’s enduring class: The veteran showed he still has the instincts to trouble defences at any level.

Málaga will take confidence from their resilience, while Leicester can build on a productive workout as the Championship season approaches.