Malaga owe Pellegrini wages, claims agent

Malaga manager Manuel Pellegrini's agent on Tuesday claimed that the Liga club owed his client wages, alleging that they had reneged on promises to get their finances in order. "The technical team are not up to date," Jesus Martinez said in an interview with the Onda Cero radio station when asked about the delayed payment of wages. "It seems like Malaga are a fairytale. In a sporting sense they are but institutionally it is not like this." Martinez alleged that the club's owner, Qatari sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Thani, had not kept his word and criticised Spanish media for not holding the Andalusian club to account more. "I don't see in the press investigating the realities of the club, they are not being just and reasonable with the fans. The club is not perfect, you can't survive on a drip. You cannot promise things and then not deliver them," he added. Malaga -- currently fifth in La Liga -- were controversially eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the Champions League by two late Borussia Dortmund goals last week, amid claims that two of the German side's goals were offside. But should they qualify for next year's competition or the Europa League, they will be banned from playing, after receiving a one-season ban from UEFA for failing to pay players and other clubs transfer fees on time last season. They also face a further season's ban if they do not have their payments to clubs, employees and tax authorities. Chelsea are among a number of clubs thought to be looking at Pellegrini as the Chilean becomes increasingly frustrated with his role at Malaga. But Martinez said there had as yet been no contact with any other club and that his client would be happy to stay at Malaga as long as certain guarantees were made, including consolidating and building upon progress made in recent years. "Manuel is very thankful but he doesn't want to have to lie to anyone about questions that are clinging to his role. We need to be more forceful regarding the future and not deflect attention," the agent added. "Pellegrini has a contract and a buyout clause of four million euros (£3.4 million, $5.2 million). "No one has come to Malaga with that four million and asking permission to talk with him, therefore we have to keep our feet on the ground and try to continue the project. "What we need to happen is that the people in charge of the club make real solutions." No one was immediately available for comment about Martinez's claims at Malaga. From: AFP