A man has been arrested in Malaga after allegedly slashing another man’s face with a knife.

The 49-year-old suspect was detained by officers from the Policía Nacional following the attack, which left the victim with a 20cm wound across his face requiring 32 stitches and possible surgery.

The incident took place on Thursday afternoon in the San Luis industrial estate, at around 3:10pm.

The victim, Jorge, a 41-year-old Portuguese national, had just parked near his workplace when he encountered a man acting aggressively near rubbish containers.

According to his account, the suspect, who appeared intoxicated, was threatening to set fire to the bins.

‘He said he was going to burn the containers, that he wanted to burn Spain and Spaniards,’ Jorge told Diario Sur.

Jorge said he tried to calm the man down, asking him not to start a fire next to his car.

‘He told me: ‘I’m going to slash you, I want to kill all Spaniards,’’ Jorge recalled.

Sensing danger, he moved around his car to grab a wheel brace for protection. The suspect appeared to back off, but moments later launched the attack.

‘I was turning my back when I saw the reflection of the knife, that saved my life,’ he said. ‘If I hadn’t seen it, he would have killed me.’

The attacker struck Jorge across the face in a single, devastating blow.

‘I felt the hit but didn’t realise how bad it was until I saw the blood pouring and looked at my reflection in a car window,’ he said.

The wound runs from his eyebrow down to his chin and required 32 stitches, with doctors still assessing whether surgery will be needed after the cut reached his lip.

Despite the severity, Jorge managed to flee and take shelter nearby until emergency services arrived.

Police quickly located the suspect in the area and arrested him.

Investigators say he had tried to dispose of the weapon by throwing it under a parked car. The knife, still stained with blood, was recovered.

Officers also confirmed the suspect, a 49-year-old man of Moroccan origin, was already wanted by a Málaga court in connection with another case.

Jorge praised the rapid response of police and emergency services, as well as a bystander who alerted authorities.

‘I’m just a worker trying to support my family, and now I’m like this because of someone who shouldn’t be on the streets,’ he said.

‘Within the horror, I’m alive, and I’m sure this could have ended much worse.’

The case remains under investigation.