Former Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz has claimed that it has been a difficult season for him in many ways. The Paraguayan striker has had a good season in front of goal with the Spanish club Malaga. After making the move permanently to the Spanish team, he has been looking settled without having to worry about returning to City. It was a good campaign for Malaga, who finished just outside the top half of the table. The 32-year-old Santa Cruz scored six goals in 31 appearances for the team.
Last season, he was even more prolific by scoring 12 goals in 44 appearances. The dire financial situation of Malaga means that they need to rely upon goals from strikers like Santa Cruz, who are at the end of their careers. At 32 years of age, the former Blackburn Rovers striker is likely to carry on at the top level for a couple of years before to returning to South America. Since Paraguay will not be involved at the World Cup 2014, it will be a couple of months of vacation for the striker.
He is already looking forward to the start of the next season is saying that Malaga can hope to build on the success they have achieved this campaign. A place in the top half of the table will be just good for the team.
“This is a good culmination to my career. It was a good bet for me. I feel very much loved by the fans here, which gives me the strength to keep playing and doing better, as well as helping the younger players here to carry on growing. It’s a normal situation to expect at a club like Málaga. There’s a lot of other clubs that would like to have players such as we have, that can be sold for good returns,” said the striker.