Malaga consolidates itself as a bullfighting benchmark with a fair full of great attractions

The Málaga bullfighting fair is establishing itself as one of the season's bullfighting benchmarks with a 2025 fair full of great attractions. The lineups crafted by the company Lances de Futuro and presented this Friday at the La Malagueta Cultural Center are based on double performances by Morante and Fortes - as previously reported by this newspaper -, the presence of top-ranked bullfighters, winners from the main fairs at the start of the season, and young bullfighters with promising futures.

Fortes and Emilio de Justo, two of the recent winners in Málaga, will feature in a head-to-head on the closing day of the subscription; the bullfighter from Málaga will share the bill one evening with Morante de la Puebla and Pablo Aguado; while Roca Rey, the top figure in the rankings, will perform alongside Cayetano, in his farewell season from bullfighting, and David de Miranda, who this year opened the main gate in Seville.

The subscription, which features an image of Morante created by artist Javier Díaz Yanes, includes Talavante, who recently left Madrid on shoulders; Juan Ortega, a bullfighter of artistic style favored by the Málaga fans; a lineup of young talents like David Galván, Borja Jiménez, and Víctor Hernández - who had a strong performance in San Isidro -; and the alternative of Pablo Páez from Ronda, who will receive it from Pepe Moral, who this year cut two ears from the Miura bulls in Seville, in the presence of one of the surprises of the lineup, José Fernando Molina from Albacete - among his managers is the brother of the La Malagueta businessman.

The cycle will open with the novice bullfight featuring Ignacio Candelas from Ronda, Julio Méndez from Extremadura, and López Ortega - last year's winner of the International School of Bullfighting Tournament -, while the rejoneo (bullfighting on horseback) will include Sergio Galán, Diego Ventura, the top figure in horseback bullfighting, and Ferrer Martín from Vélez.

Regarding the bull ranches, Murteira Grave returns, having been triumphant last year at La Malagueta, and El Freixo - owned by El Juli - debuts with a bullfight in Málaga.

During the presentation, led by journalist Germán Estela, the businessman of La Malagueta, José María Garzón, highlighted that the lineups were made "with tremendous affection" and emphasized that there is no first-class bullring with subscription prices like those in Málaga. "The best defense of bullfighting is filling the arenas," he added.

The president of the Provincial Council, Francisco Salado, described the Málaga subscription as "a great fair" and remarked that with the work of the institutions and the company in recent years, La Malagueta has consolidated itself as a bullfighting benchmark.

For his part, Fortes stated that he is experiencing a "very special professional moment, the result of a lifetime of searching" and added: "I feel the excitement of the fans, not only in Málaga but all over the world."

THE LINEUPS

August 10-13: International School of Bullfighting Tournament 'La Malagueta'.

August 14. Novillos from Macandro for Ignacio Candelas, Julio Méndez, and López Ortega.

August 15. Bulls from Criado Holgado for David Galván, Borja Jiménez, and Víctor Hernández.

August 16. Bulls from Murteira Grave for Pepe Moral, José Fernando Molina, and Pablo Páez, who will take the alternative.

August 17. Bulls from Benítez Cubero - Pallarés for the rejoneadores Sergio Galán, Diego Ventura, and Ferrer Martín.

August 18. Bulls from Torrealta for Morante de la Puebla, Fortes, and Pablo Aguado.

August 19. Bulls from Victoriano del Río and Toros de Cortés for Cayetano (in his farewell year from the rings), Roca Rey, and David de Miranda.

August 20. Bulls from El Puerto de San Lorenzo and La Ventana del Puerto for Morante de la Puebla, Talavante, and Juan Ortega.

August 21. Bulls from El Freixo for Emilio de Justo and Fortes (head-to-head).