Schuster proud to take reins at Malaga

Bernd Schuster is excited about his future after being unveiled as the new manager of Malaga, replacing the departing Manuel Pellegrini.

The 53-year-old took up the post on Wednesday after signing a five-year contract to replace Chilean Pellegrini, who has moved to Manchester City.

Malaga finished sixth in La Liga last season and reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, but with a number of top names expected to depart the club before the start of the new season and a European ban being upheld, the challenge ahead of Schuster is considerable.

“I’m very proud to be part of this important new project in my career,” he said. “I’m very excited about the future, and I want to ensure this same excitement and motivation is passed on to the rest of the club and the fans.

“Following our first meeting, I was sure I wanted to be a part of Malaga CF, after their great success last season. Thank you for your confidence in me and my coaching team, we’ll work as hard as we can and dedicate all the time possible to the Blue and Whites.”

Winger Joaquin has already left the club for Fiorentina and playmaker Isco has been linked with a host of top clubs around Europe following his impressive season and UEFA Under-21 European Championship in Israel, but Schuster is preparing for the new season with his star players and admitted that he is looking to strengthen in the coming months.

“The pre-season will get underway on July 5 and we’ll be in Germany for two or three days,” he added. “I never give up on anything. I have faith that the team will go all out in order to reach our goals. The club has announced that the team will take a different path this season, so we need to work as hard as possible to get to the top and form the best team we can.

“We’ve got three or four positions that we need to look at. It’s important not to forget to give the young talent the chance to play. I don’t foresee any problems, and I’m sure all will come together over the next few weeks.”