Rayo Vallecano’s La Liga match against Athletic Club was abandoned on Saturday after home supporters threw paper planes and rubber balls onto the pitch in protest against the club’s owner.
The game was Rayo’s first of the season at the Estadio de Vallecas, which had been temporarily closed after an audit highlighted serious health and safety issues, including a risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease. Rayo fans blame owner and president Raul Martin Presa, who has long been criticised for the poor upkeep of facilities and a failure to modernise the club.
In the 13th minute, when Rayo fans usually chant “Presa leave now”, supporters threw paper planes and small rubber balls onto the pitch. The referee stopped play and the stadium announcer urged fans not to throw objects onto the pitch, while stewards hastily removed the items from the grass. When play resumed 15 minutes later, supporters in the south stand again threw objects onto the field, and the referee abandoned play with the game goalless.
After the game, Athletic Club released a statement saying they would contact their fans who travelled to the match in Madrid to arrange refunds. Rayo fans also held up scarves that said “Presa leave now” during the protest.
The abandonment follows wider complaints about conditions at the club. Last season, the Spanish football association published a letter written by Rayo’s players that described the Vallecas pitch as “unplayable” and noted a lack of hot water in the showers and inadequate cleaning. They began last season without being able to use their own training ground because of mould, but still reached the final of the Uefa Conference League, where they lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace. Supporters regularly have to queue for hours to purchase match tickets at the stadium’s small box office, as Rayo is the only top-flight Spanish club without a ticketing website.
Rayo sit 13th in La Liga with two wins from their opening seven games.