Pablo Martínez takes step towards Racing clash

Málaga midfielder Pablo Martínez, sidelined by plantar fasciitis, has returned to training and could feature against Racing Santander on Saturday.

Málaga prepare to face Racing Santander at La Rosaleda on Saturday seeking their first league victory after losing to Betis. Manager Juanfran Funes has a potential boost with summer signing Pablo Martínez, who has been recovering from plantar fasciitis, now back in full training. While Martínez is not ruled out for the match, he is unlikely to start given his recent return to the squad. The club confirmed Juan Cruz remains unavailable, while Aarón Ochoa and Lobete continue their recovery programmes. Carlos Puga, rested on Wednesday for workload management, will be available. Málaga face mounting pressure to collect points after a difficult start, though the team's underlying performance has been encouraging ahead of a more favourable run of fixtures.