Bullfighting returns with a vengeance during 'Morante Mania' in Marbella

The plaza de toros in Marbella hosted a sell-out bullfight (Corrida de Candiles) on Friday 8 August, an event that presented some of today’s top matadors and which was broadcast live on Canal Sur regional television. The box office of the bullring put up the ‘sold out’ sign at midday on Friday, ten hours before the spectacle took place: it had been more than 40 years since tickets last sold out in Marbella.

Although, until 2024, Marbella bullring had not hosted bullfights for eight years, it returned with a vengeance last week, as evidenced by the impressive lineup. Morante de la Puebla, Juan Ortega and Pablo Aguado fought six bulls from the Garcigrande union of breeders during an event that began at the unusual time of 10pm to avoid the harsh summer heat.

The highlight of the night for aficionados was Morante de la Puebla, who is currently enjoying what has been described as “an anthological season”. ‘Morante mania’ has been sweeping the bullrings of Spain this season. He brought the crowd to its feet on numerous occasions last week in El Puerto de Santa María (Cadiz), as he had previously done in Seville and Madrid.