After gaining promotion last summer Malaga`s first season back in the top flight was widely predicted to be a fight for survival....

Instead the Andalusian side, under the excellent leadership of Antonio Tapia, have been competing at the top of the league, dreaming of Europe, rather than battling relegation.

Last weekend`s 2-1 away defeat to Sporting Gijon ended Malaga`s hopes of a place in next season`s Champions League, but they remain in contention for a Europa League spot and beating their best-ever finish of seventh place.

Coach Antonio Tapia has raked in the plaudits for the attractive style of football employed by this side, despite operating on a shoe-string budget, and as a consequence has been catching the eye of a number of clubs with a bigger budget – including one or two in England.

Even if Malaga can keep hold of their coach, there is little doubt that several of his key players will be moving on in the summer. Players like Eliseu and Jesus Gamez have not gone un-noticed by several Premiership clubs. In an interview broadcast on Revista de la Liga, I began by asking the Malaga coach to try and sum up the secret to his success...

Tapia:    We had a plan which has been very well executed along with some extremely hard work from all concerned. In the summer, the best possible use was made of our limited recourses. The result is a squad of committed and professional footballers. I knew a lot of the players that we brought in beforehand and had worked with them before. We knew their level and were sure that they would fit in well at Malaga.

The fact that I had already worked with a lot of the players really helped the development of the team. Throughout the season I have seen total commitment from every one of my players and in the difficult times we have had along the way, the support from the board and the president has been very reassuring.

That support was especially important at the beginning of the season when the results were not going our way, we were solid defensively but we lacked depth to our play and were not creating chances. I think that the support of our fans here in this stadium also played a role in getting things moving forward, when our offensive play began to steadily improve the fans really began to enjoy their first season back in La Liga. After our time in the second division, a real bond has formed between fans and players and that gives the team a real boost.

There is not one clear reason for our success; it is a combination of those factors.

Guillem:     Is it fair to say that the squad is divided in two groups? The first containing the homegrown players like Lolo, Apono and veterans that have been brought back to life like Luque or Salva - the other containing the new signings you have made like Eliseu or Baha?

Tapia:    I think that we have a balance here that allows us to be efficient. Take for example the game the other Wednesday in Pamplona. It was a very tough match but in the second half the veterans like Fernando, Albert and Salva came of the bench and gave us that experience that was needed to see us through. On other occasions the youngsters have given us that breath of fresh air that a team needs. At the start of the season the younger players really helped get us going. We have got a good balance and a very committed group of players and I would not divide it as you have. I would describe it as a very tight knit, ambitious group in which the veterans want to show that they still belong and the youngsters want to make a name for themselves by showing that they can compete in a league as competitive as ours.

Guillem:     There are three or four of your players that have been linked with English teams. Tell us a bit about Jesus Gamez your right back.

Tapia:    Jesus is a young player whose development has been outstanding. After two years with Malaga B his game came on to such an extent that he was ready to make his debut with the first team. Since then he has gone on to make the position his own and become one of the most important right backs in the League. His future, at twenty four years of age, looks very bright so it is only logical that his progress is being watched with interest by teams in the English League as well as others. He is a very competitive player.

Guillem:    Eliseu?

Tapia:     He is a player with some very rare qualities. He plays the game with such pace and determination and at the same time manages to make every touch count. He is a great professional and I think that his style would very much suit the English league. He is very competitive and hard working and looking at the way the game is played in England that type of play could thrive.

Guillem:   Baha?

Tapia:    Nabil is a very intelligent player. He is a natural goalscorer and confident finisher. His tactical awareness brings equilibrium to the team because he knows how to move off the ball. That kind of work is often overlooked but it allows us to be a solid defensive team but also a team that has the ability to score goals. As well as being one of the team`s top scorers, Nabil knows when to track back and is strong in the tackle which means that he is a great help for our midfield.

Guillem:    Apono?

Tapia:    For me Apono has been the revelation of the season so far. I think that he is one of the best central midfielders in the league: up there with the likes of Xavi and Senna. I think that he is the complete central midfielder with a high work rate and technical ability; he can even score goals for you. If he continues to come on like he has done, and manages to refine that control that he sometimes lacks on certain occasions, he is going to be a great player.

Guillem:    Is there anyone from you team that we have missed out?

Tapia:    I would add Javier Calleja, at thirty -thirty one years of age he has played most of this season in a position that was previously alien to him: he was always a winger but we have used him at left back. I would not say I was surprised by how well he adapted, but he has shown us that he is a very capable defender. He has adapted his quick, intelligent game to the position with great effect. He has given us a defensive outlet on the left and in turn has brought a depth to our game. He is tactically sound in attack and defense and brings balance to our defensive line of four. I think he is in good shape for his age and could compete in any of the major leagues in Europe.

Guillem:    And what about the coach?

Tapia:   Well I have been lucky enough to have gained experience working at all levels of the game in this country, so nothing surprises me anymore. I am a humble man with my feet well on the ground at the moment. I know how to handle defeat and how to keep things moving forward when things are going well. I know my place and the role that I have to play as part of a team. I know that coaches are not indispensible and that the true protagonists are the players. I also understand the importance of the supporters and giving them what they want; in our case good football and good results. The supporters have the right to enjoy their team. At Malaga I have been able to work with an exceptional group of players and a supportive chairman who must take the credit for where the team is today.

Guillem:    Some say that you embody the spirit of this club but there have been reports linking you with a move to Real Betis or even Queens Park Rangers. What do you make of all that?

Tapia:      This is the club where I learned my trade as a player and as a manager and I am very happy here. There was contact made from England through my agent. I think that I could adapt to life there and I would not rule out a change either: in the short term or long term, you never know what circumstances will lead to. But it is fair to say that in the future I would like to manage abroad. The Premiership is a very competitive league where the football culture holds managers in high regard. I think that my approach to the game would work well in England but all I am focused on at the moment is working well here at Malaga.

Guillem:     There can be no doubt that this has been Barcelona`s season. Is there dominance due to the fact that the quality of play in La Liga has dropped?

Tapia:    Barcelona have been on a different level this season. Their play has been reminiscent of the best days under Rijkaard and Cruyff. As a club, Barcelona have been lucky enough to be able to ensure that their football philosophy has not only endured but developed. This season as a team they have managed to captivate, not only their own fans, but all of us who admire good football.

Anyone who appreciated football will tell you that they are not only playing the best football in Spain, but in the world. They have been efficient in attack and defense; they have set an example for every coach at every club to follow. In countries that do not have such deep rooted footballing traditions Barcelona`s approach to this season can serve as an example to be followed. It is not that they level of the other teams has been particularly bad, just look at Madrid: they have had a great run of results. The way that Madrid has managed to stay in touch with Barcelona is an achievement in itself and its merit should not be overlooked. They have kept things interesting at the top of the league. 

Guillem:    So how do you defend against Barcelona?

Tapia:     I think that the only way to defend against them is to totally dominate possession of the ball and that`s not easy I can tell you. You have to find a way of releasing the pressure that they put on you in your own half. If you can do that and keep the ball you have a chance.