• Premier League

Demichelis taking legal action against Malaga

Martin Demichelis joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid © PA Photos

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Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis is taking a court action against his former club Malaga - to force them to pay €400,000 he claims to be owed in back wages.

Demichelis spent three up and down years at Malaga before leaving for Atletico Madrid on a free transfer last summer, and then almost immediately moving on again to rejoin his former Boquerones coach Manuel Pellegrini at City.

The Argentine centre-half had tried to be reasonable with the Andalucian club, but was now taking a legal route to get what he was owed, according to information given to local media by his represenstatives Gomez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados.

"In every moment priority was given to the path of friendship and dialogue … which still remains open from the position of our client," the lawyers said. "[But] we have taken an action on his behalf against Malaga Club de Futbol SAD to reclaim the quantity which, for diverse redistributive reasons generated during the 2012-2013 season, the Spanish club owes our client."

Demichelis' representatives said the player himself did not want to speak about the issue.

"He will not make any public declaration so as not to damage the name of the club which deserves his respect - Malaga Club de Futbol," they said.

Malaga's financial issues over recent seasons have been well documented, especially since its Qatari owners decided on an 'austerity policy' after previously ploughing millions of euros into the club. Demichelis himself admitted in December 2012 that there were some issues about payment, but said then he was just focusing on playing his football.

Malaga club sources told AS that they were working on paying the money owed, and had last summer paid Demichelis €800,000 of the back wages which had been overdue.

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