Fulham Walks Off Against Málaga Amid Disputed Penalty Shootout

In a tense preseason match on August 13, 2026, Fulham and Málaga found themselves at odds when Fulham walked off the pitch following a controversial finish. The English side’s coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, was shown a red card for dissent late in the game as Málaga scored a dramatic equalizer in the 90th minute, bringing the score to 2-2.

Despite the match ending in a draw, Málaga announced the intention to proceed with a penalty shootout to determine the winner of the Costa del Sol trophy. However, Fulham contested this, asserting that both teams had previously agreed there would be no penalty shootout in the event of a draw. In a statement on X, Fulham clarified, “We can confirm that prior to the match, both teams agreed that there would not be a penalty shootout in the event of a draw.”

On the other hand, Málaga insisted a penalty shootout had been planned, and they subsequently kicked a penalty into an open net to stake their claim to the trophy. Arbeloa, who had joined Fulham over the summer following Marco Silva’s departure, received his red card for arguing with officials as the match drew to a close.

Special Credits: Image Courtesy of Espn