VIDEO: Rayo Vallecano suspends Liga match after 13 minutes
The La Liga match between Rayo Vallecano and Athletic Bilbao was halted after 13 minutes when supporters invaded the pitch, launching paper planes and other objects, forcing the referee to permanently suspend the game.
Supporters' protests
Rayo fans threw hundreds of paper planes, rubber balls, sandwiches and even a chair onto the grass of the Estadio de Vallecas. The Bukaneros ultras, a radical Rayo group, coordinated the launching of the planes from the goals. This rain of objects quickly made the pitch unplayable, triggering the first suspension.
The Madrid-based club has recently been playing its home games at the Leganés stadium, after municipal authorities revoked the license of the Vallecas stadium due to serious safety issues. Renovation of the pitch is considered urgent, hence the anger of the season ticket holders. This season, Rayo has already played three home matches at Leganés, all marked by partial supporter boycotts.
The Rayo supporters' federation issued a statement describing the protest as an “inevitable reflection of the boiling point, frustration and anger of thousands of season ticket holders after years of disastrous management by Raúl Martín Presa”. The club president, in office since 2011, is the main target.
Consequences and outlook
After the first interruption, the match resumed in the 24th minute, but the object throws again forced the players to leave the pitch. The stadium announcer had warned at the 20th minute that the match would be suspended if the protests continued. Rayo players Óscar Valentín and Isi Palazón spoke with Bukaneros members behind one of the goals before the restart.
The head referee, after consulting with police and coaches, stated that safety could no longer be guaranteed. “The referee decided to suspend the match on the police’s recommendation,” Rayo indicated in a post on social media.
Rayo supporters cheered the decision, while Athletic Bilbao players applauded their own fans. Many Bilbao supporters joined the anti‑Presa chants, creating an unusual atmosphere.
The match will have to be replayed at a later date, with authorities confirming that further protests are likely. It is the first match in Vallecas since the stadium’s closure, highlighting the symbolic importance of the protest. Rayo’s next home fixture is scheduled against Elche on October 24, and regional sports minister Mariano de Paco reminded: “Rayo will get the stadium it deserves. Have confidence.”