 In the summer of 1997, Rafa joined Málaga CF, again meeting the same fate.However, he did appear in 31 games in his second year as the Andalusians promoted from Segunda División B to the top flight in only two years.Rafa retired from football in 2007, after having played one season each for Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa, Sporting de Gijón, Oviedo (the club was now in Tercera División) and England's Coventry City.