The wait ends in three days. On June 14 at La Rosaleda, UD Almería and Málaga CF will launch the two-legged LaLiga HyperMotion promotion final. One club walks away with a ticket to LaLiga EA Sports. The other stays behind and rebuilds. Both carry the weight of entire cities on their shoulders.
This is more than a playoff. It is an Andalusian showdown with promotion on the line and pride at stake.
How They Got Here
Almería finished third in the regular season and handled business in the semis. They drew the first leg away at Castellón, then delivered a composed home performance to advance on aggregate. The Rojiblancos arrive with momentum and the comfort of knowing they have already beaten their final opponent this season.
Málaga finished fourth and produced one of the stories of the campaign. After years of financial chaos and a stint in the third tier, Los Blanquiazules have clawed their way back. They edged Las Palmas in the semis — winning the first leg away and holding firm at home with a late equalizer from Joaquín Muñoz. Coach Juan Francisco Funes has built something resilient and dangerous.
The Regular Season Thriller That Set the Tone
On April 19 at the UD Almería Stadium, these two served up exactly the kind of game you expect from a promotion race. Almería won 3-2 in stoppage-time drama. Adri Embarba scored twice in the second half. Léo Baptistão added the winner deep into added time. Málaga refused to fold — Adrián Niño and Haitam pulled them level before the late collapse.
That result told you everything. Both teams can score in bunches. Both can concede. Neither will go quietly.
Key Players Who Will Decide It
UD Almería
- Sergio Arribas: The standout attacker this season. His movement between the lines and finishing have been elite.
- Adri Embarba: Experience, leadership, and that left-footed magic. He already has goals against Málaga this year.
- Léo Baptistão: The ultimate big-game player. His late winner in April proved it again.
Málaga CF
- Adrián Niño: Young, direct, and already on the scoresheet against Almería.
- Joaquín Muñoz: Stepped up with crucial goals in the semis.
- Ramón (captain) & Haitam: The spine that keeps Málaga compact and dangerous on the counter.
First Leg at La Rosaleda – Atmosphere and Stakes
Málaga hosts the opener on June 14. La Rosaleda will be electric. Blue-and-white flags everywhere. The kind of noise that makes it hard to hear the whistle. Almería will bring a vocal traveling support and the quiet confidence of a side that has already won at this level this season.
Expect Málaga to sit compact early, look for transitions, and use the home crowd to fuel intensity. Almería will try to control territory and exploit spaces behind the press with Arribas and Embarba’s combination play. Set pieces and moments of individual quality will likely decide the first leg.
⚔️ Lucharán por la gloria.
❤️🤍 @U_D_Almeria
🩵🤍 @MalagaCF✍️ ¿Qué equipo ascenderá a #LALIGAEASPORTS?#DesenlaceLALIGA | #LALIGAHYPERMOTION pic.twitter.com/TC6NmTKIoi
— LALIGA HYPERMOTION (@LaLiga2) June 10, 2026
You can already picture the scene: the sun dropping behind the stands, the chants rolling in waves, and two teams knowing one mistake could end a season’s work.
The Human Stories Behind the Battle
For Málaga, this final is redemption. The club that once competed with Europe’s elite fell into administration and the third division. Fans stuck with them. The academy produced players who now matter. Promotion would validate every difficult year.
For Almería, it is about finishing the job. They know what LaLiga feels like. Relegation hurt. The squad has quality and recent top-flight experience. A return would feel like justice for a club that belongs at the highest level.
What to Expect Across Both Legs
This will not be a cagey, low-event tie. Both teams play open, attacking football. The April match showed they can trade goals. The short turnaround between semis and final adds another layer — freshness and recovery will matter.
Tactics will evolve. Málaga may defend deeper at home and push higher in the second leg. Almería will look to strike early in both games to take control of the tie. Whoever wins the mental battle in the first 15 minutes of each leg could carry the advantage.
Prediction
Almería carries a slight edge on paper because of attacking firepower and the experience of playing in bigger games recently. But Málaga has momentum, home advantage in leg one, and a never-say-die mentality that has already carried them this far. Expect goals. Expect drama. Expect the tie to go to the final whistle of the second leg.
Whoever lifts the promotion on aggregate will have earned it the hard way.
The LaLiga HyperMotion season has delivered storylines all year. The Desenlace is here. Two clubs. Two cities. One spot in LaLiga EA Sports.
In three days, we find out who rises.
