Rayo Vallecano find themselves at the centre of a bitter dispute over the future of their home ground, with club president Raul Martin Presa pushing a controversial plan to leave the Estadio de Vallecas, a decision fiercely opposed by sections of the fanbase and local supporters.
Presa has repeatedly argued that the existing stadium — one of La Liga’s smallest and least commercially viable venues — cannot generate the income needed to keep Rayo competitive and must eventually be replaced with a modern facility on the outskirts of Vallecas or elsewhere.
However, many supporters vehemently disagree, arguing that moving away from the club’s historic home would strip Rayo of its identity and connection to the Vallecas neighbourhood.
Ultra groups and supporter associations have voiced strong resistance, with protests and chants insisting the stadium remain where it has been since 1976, and urging improvements to the current site instead of relocation.
Supporters have accused the owner of neglecting the club's infrastructure, pointing to a low point a few weeks ago, when Rayo was forced to relocate to Butarque in Leganes because the Vallecas pitch was deemed unplayable.
Rayo owner argues new stadium cannot fit in Vallecas
Presa has argued that Rayo’s home needs to be upgraded, and he believes that it has to be elsewhere rather than its current location, citing that it is impossible to achieve such a huge vision in Vallecas.
However, some of the fans and stakeholders sense that Presa is only of this opinion due to a hidden plan to sell the Vallecas land for lucrative real estate development.
To back their argument, the Rayo Federation of Supporters’ Clubs invited architectural firm AGAS, to carry out a study on the current location, and the firm concluded it would be possible to do so.
Regardless of Presa’s motives, the President of the Regional Madrid Government, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, already assured fans that the stadium is moving nowhere.
“The stadium will remain in its place; what we will do is renovate it to ensure maximum safety, expand its seating capacity, and allow it to be used for a wide range of other events. This is good for the district, and it’s a decision we’ve made because we believe it’s the most appropriate,” she told Cadena Cope.
According to Diario AS, the cost of renovating the stadium is around €50m (£43m) and should take a duration of 1.5 years, a move that will add about 10,000 seats to the stadium.
FGG Says
Rayo’s owner’s desire for commercial growth is understandable, but clubs do not thrive by alienating the people who breathe life into them. The best solutions blend ambition with heart, and in Rayo’s case, that means investing in the soul of the club first, that is, Estadio de Vallecas and its community, rather than tearing it away.