Dilip Kuner
SHEIK Abdullah Al-Thani, the former owner of Malaga CF football club, who saw them through an exciting run to the Champions League quarter finals, is facing 14 years in prison.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has asked for the lengthy jail term for Al-Thani, and the same sentence for three of his sons – Nasser, Nayef, and Rakkan – on accusations of disloyal administration, misappropriation of funds, and abusive business agreements during their time at the helm of the football club.
This is the latest step in a legal battle that has been dragging on since 2019. It followed a complaint from the Malaga CF Small Shareholders Association (APA), and is now approaching a full trial – although no date has been set.
Prosecutors are also pushing to bar the Qatari family members from managing any commercial companies for those same 14 years and substantial compensation is also being sought in civil liability.
Al-Thani’s sons, it is alleged, were not merely figureheads; they served on the board, sharing in the club’s management responsibilities, say prosecutors.
Alongside the Al-Thani family members, five former executives from that era – Moayad Shatat, Vicente Casado, Manuel Novo, Joaquin Jofre, and Roberto Cano – have also been named by the Prosecutor’s Office, which is asking for around five years imprisonment for each of them.
It is now more than five years since Malaga was placed under judicial administration. In February 2020, Malaga jude María de los Angeles Ruiz removed the Al-Thanis from club oversight, and appointed Jose Maria Muñoz as the judicial administrator to run the club – a position he still holds.
Al-Thani, a member of the Qatari royal family, acquired Malaga in 2010, sparking initial optimism among fans. Early ownership saw players of the calibre of Santi Cazorla, Ruud van Nistelrooy (who joined as a free agent before retiring after one season), and a young Isco before his move to Real Madrid, transform the team.
The peak was the 2012-2013 Champions League campaign, where Malaga, under coach Manuel Pellegrini (later of Manchester City), embarked on a remarkable journey.
They navigated the play-off round by overcoming Greek side Panathinaikos, then topped a challenging group that included AC Milan, Zenit St. Petersburg, and Anderlecht, going unbeaten in the process.
In the Round of 16, they faced FC Porto, losing the first leg 1-0 but triumphing 2-0 at home to secure their spot in the quarter-finals.
This thrilling run saw Malaga pit themselves against German giants Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals.
The first leg in Spain ended in a goalless draw, setting up a nail-biting return leg at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park.
In a match filled with drama and controversy, Malaga twice led, with goals from Joaqiín and Eliseu. However, Dortmund snatched victory with two late, controversial goals in stoppage time, the final one appearing to be offside, crushing Malaga’s dreams of reaching the semi-finals.
However, this glorious chapter soon faded. Financial problems and a confusing lack of clear strategy emerged.
Investment from Al-Thani declined, and team performance suffered. Malaga was banned from European competitions due to outstanding payments.
Player sales became necessary, and the club was relegated from La Liga at the end of the 2017-2018 season. The current legal proceedings are directly linked to these allegations of financial mismanagement.
Beyond football, Al-Thani pursued business ventures in Marbella, focusing on high-end real estate and infrastructure.
His most prominent project was the proposed €400 million expansion of Marbella’s La Bajadilla fishing port, envisioned as a luxury marina for cruise ships and superyachts.
Plans included a 900-metre circular pier for over 1,200 yachts, a 200-metre quay for cruise liners, and a 45,000 m² commercial and leisure area.
This project was touted as the ‘most important urban development in Marbella’s history’, promising thousands of jobs.
Marbella City Council initially supported the Puerto La Bajadilla project. Mayor Angeles Muñoz endorsed it, and Al-Thani’s consortium, Nasir Bin Abdullah & Sons, included a joint venture with the Marbella Leisure Port and the Town Hall.
The project received early approvals, navigating objections from other companies and environmental groups. However, the project encountered numerous difficulties.
It suffered from repeated delays and alleged non-compliance with contractual obligations; significant work, projected to begin in 2012, never materialised as the promised funds never arrived.
Legal challenges arose from companies disputing the concession bid, claiming Al-Thani’s consortium lacked the necessary conditions.
Reports also indicated financial issues, including an embargo for unpaid architect bills and a decrease in Al-Thani’s corporate capital investment.
In 2016, after four years of delays, the Public Ports Agency of Andalusia (APPA) officially stripped Al-Thani of the contract due to ‘continual breaches’.
The Spanish Supreme Court affirmed this decision in 2018, effectively ending his involvement in the La Bajadilla marina project, ruling that his company had not met the required technical and financial solvency.
While Al-Thani had other real estate interests in Marbella, the public failure of the La Bajadilla port project defined his business legacy in the city, mirroring the end of his Malaga CF ownership.
The relationship with the Marbella City Council, initially cooperative, deteriorated as the project stalled, leading to a definitive legal separation.
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