Cruz (undisclosed) remains a late fitness call for Friday's clash against Espanyol after alternating between individual and team training sessions, coach Juanfran Funes confirmed, per La Grada. "We don't know if he'll be ready for the start of the match. He's the one who's been cutting it closest."
Analysis:Cruz has made encouraging progress in his recovery after recently returning to group training, though he has yet to demonstrate that he's ready to handle a full competitive workload. The attacker has accumulated several sessions with his teammates, but Funes' latest comments suggest his availability remains uncertain ahead of Friday's matchup. Even if Cruz is cleared to feature, his limited preparation could leave him restricted to a bench role as Malaga look to avoid rushing him back into action.
