Ibon Navarro: “I left Málaga, but Málaga will never leave me”

“I left Málaga, but Málaga will never leave me.” Ibon Navarro summed up his attachment to the city where he experienced an important period in both his personal and professional life. The Estrella Roja de Belgrado coach spoke to Arena Sport about his early days in charge of the Serbian team, while reflecting on a period that shaped his career. From Serbia, he still feels a strong connection to Málaga and has not forgotten Unicaja.

Asked about the famous “plan” chant, which became one of the hallmarks of his time on Unicaja’s bench, Navarro explained how it started. At the Copa del Rey final in Badalona in 2023, a Málaga supporter sitting behind his bench kept repeating: “What’s the plan?” The coach said the story began in a much simpler way than it eventually became. “I don’t know what the plan was, but whatever there was worked very well,” he recalled with a laugh.

Navarro’s time in Málaga coincided with one of the most successful periods in the club’s history. His present is now in Belgrado: Estrella Roja began the EuroLeague with one win and two defeats, all at home. But this new chapter has not erased the mark left by Málaga.