Fulham Walk Off in Malaga Friendly Amid Penalty Dispute
Fulham's preseason match against Malaga turned sour when the English club walked off the pitch ahead of a penalty shootout. The Premier League club is currently 33 points behind leaders Arsenal.
Fulham's friendly in Malaga turned sour as the Premier League club walked off ahead of a penalty shootout. La Liga host Malaga scored a 90th-minute equaliser to make the score 2-2. Malaga said a penalty shootout was scheduled, but Fulham claimed there wasn't.
Why It Matters for Fulham
Fulham's decision to walk off the pitch has sparked controversy, with the club's coach, Alvaro Arbeloa, being red-carded for complaining to the referees. The incident has raised questions about the club's discipline and sportsmanship.
Fulham's preseason match against Malaga has been marred by controversy, with the club's decision to walk off the pitch sparking a penalty dispute. The incident has raised questions about the club's discipline and sportsmanship.
Fulham is currently 11th in the Premier League, with 52 points from 38 games. The club has scored 47 goals this season, conceding 51. They are on a 2-game winning run, with their last result being a 2-0 win over Newcastle on May 24, 2026. Tom Cairney is currently sidelined due to injury.
The scenes were an echo of the Africa Cup of Nations final in January when Senegal walked off the field in protest at the awarding of a penalty to Morocco. In response to the events on the southern coast of Spain, Fulham said on the social media platform, X: “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.”
Former Real Madrid coach Arbeloa was sent off for arguing with the officiating crew at the end of the match. Malaga said a penalty shootout was scheduled but “Fulham left the pitch claiming that a shootout had not been included in the contract.”
Senegal’s match against hosts Morocco at the 2025 edition of AFCON, which extended into 2026, did eventually resume with the Atlas Lions missing the penalty that had been awarded to them. The Lions of Teranga went on to win a penalty shootout to claim the trophy. The title has since been withdrawn from them by the Confederation of African Football after an appeal by Morocco. Senegal have taken that case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
