A court in Andalusia has ordered Qatari royal Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani (main image), along with three of his sons, to stand trial over alleged crimes linked to their management of former La Liga club Málaga CF, according to Spanish media.
Al-Thani, who previously served as the club’s president, along with his sons, Nasser, Rakan and Nayef – who also sat on the board of directors during his tenure – faces charges including misappropriation of funds, unfair administration and enforcing abusive agreements, as outlined in a court document from Málaga dated Monday.
If found guilty, they could potentially face prison sentences of up to 14 years over their handling of the Andalusian club, whose tenure under their leadership ended with relegation and severe financial troubles.
Al-Thani took ownership of Málaga in 2010 and propelled the then mid-tier club into a period of heavy spending, bringing in high-profile players such as Santi Cazorla and former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
However, the club’s golden era was brief. After a remarkable run to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2013, Málaga soon lost key players and suffered relegation from La Liga in 2018, eventually dropping further into Spain’s third division by 2023.
The financial strain worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading the club to fall under the supervision of Spanish tax authorities and forcing it to implement a collective redundancy plan.
The charges that have led to a trial relate to a complaint filed in 2019 by the Association of Small Shareholders (APA), which triggered a judicial intervention at the club and the removal of the Al-Thani family from control.
Prosecutors allege that all four family members took irregular payments from the club, including inflated salaries, loans, rented properties and the purchase of shares using club funds.
The investigation has already led to a preventative seizure of Sheikh Al-Thani’s Spanish assets, most notably his shares in the club, to cover an 8.5-million-euro bond.
Five former executives are also implicated in the case. Considered to have aided the Al-Thanis, they face lesser sentences of around five years depending on their roles.
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⚖️ La jueza envía a juicio a Abdullah Al-Thani, a sus tres hijos Rakan, Nasser y Nayef y los exdirectivos del Málaga Vicente Casado, Manuel Novo, Joaquín Jofre, Roberto Cano y Moayad Shatat ante la Audiencia Provincial.#MálagaCF #AlThani #Fútbol pic.twitter.com/Xbpb6A3qDq
— 101TV Málaga (@101tvMalaga) June 25, 2025
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