Protest against Rayo Vallecano's chief forces referee to abandon match
On Saturday the La Liga match between Rayo Vallecano and Athletic Bilbao was abandoned after less than half an hour, because fans in the Vallecas district threw objects onto the pitch to protest against Rayo Vallecano's club chief Raúl Martín Presa, under considerable public pressure.
Paper planes and bouncy balls triggered the match abandonment
In the 13th minute of the first league match, paper planes, bouncy balls and other objects were thrown onto the turf. The referee stopped the game, sent both teams to the dressing room and allowed the players to return after a short break. Despite the interruption, the fans continued to throw objects, so the match, with the score at 0:0 after less than half an hour, was finally ended.
Stadium problems and fans' demands
The protests were not only directed against president Raúl Martín Presa, but also against the poor conditions of the club's own stadium and training facilities. After three home games at the Butarque Stadium in Leganés, which became necessary due to serious safety deficiencies, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport decided in July that Rayo must move to another stadium. The fans raised signs reading “Presa, vete ya!” and posted on social media the message: “The Rayo fans will not tolerate this.”
Tension erupts as Rayo fans force LaLiga match halt at Vallecas
IMAGO/Agencia LOF reported that the repeated throwing of paper planes and bouncy balls triggered the abandonment of the match between Rayo Vallecano and Athletic Bilbao. The action was part of a longer‑term protest campaign organized by supporters from the Vallecas district.
After the abandonment, the question arose as to when and where Rayo Vallecano's next home game can take place, as long as the stadium does not meet the authorities' requirements. The league has officially recorded the match as not played, and further scheduling will depend on the authorities.
The current schedule overview for matchday 8 shows that numerous other fixtures such as Deportivo Alavés – Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid – Villarreal are set to take place as planned, while the Rayo trial match remains pending.