Rayo Vallecano stadium ‘soap opera’ continues as fans, officials split over return

Rayo Vallecano's ongoing Estadio de Vallecas saga has taken another twist, with the club insisting that their home is ready to reopen despite opposition from the Community of Madrid and sections of the fanbase.

Rayo believed the necessary safety measures had been completed, but officials said the stadium would not reopen for Saturday's game against Racing de Santander, which was instead played at Estadio Ontime Butarque, where Rayo secured a 3-2 victory.

Rayo Vallecano demand return to Vallecas despite opposition

Rayo temporarily lost the use of the Estadio de Vallecas more than a month ago after an audit commissioned by the Community of Madrid identified widespread deterioration, alongside safety and hygiene problems that were deemed to pose a risk to supporters.

The club subsequently moved their home fixtures to Butarque, where they have already played against Alaves and Racing de Santander but Rayo now believe they have done enough to return to their traditional home.

Following a visit to the stadium on Tuesday, September 1, alongside captain Oscar Valentin, the club claimed that their technical auditor and other specialists had confirmed that the venue met the required safety and health standards.

Rayo also presented documentation covering the stadium's electrical installations, fire risk, emergency lighting, boilers, before calling for Saturday's match against Racing to be played at Vallecas, which was subsequently played elsewhere.

However, the Community of Madrid has rejected those claims, with Sports Councillor Mariano de Paco insisting that there is no technical report supporting Rayo's position and accusing the club of attempting to hide the problems that led to the stadium's closure.

Reports have also suggested that Martin Presa put pressure on technicians to produce favourable assessments, while Racing had indicated that LaLiga has told them that last Saturday's fixture would be played at Butarque.

The situation has also caused further friction with Rayo's supporters, who have announced that their next clash against Espanyol should not be played at Vallecas while Presa remains president.

A large section of the fanbase boycotted the Alaves match and another demonstration was planned for Saturday, with supporters continuing to demand Presa's departure and even exploring legal action over refunds for matches not played at their home stadium.

FGG Says: Rayo Vallecano's stadium saga shows no sign of ending

What began as a dispute over stadium safety has developed into a much wider conflict between Rayo, the Community of Madrid and the club's own supporters.

With the authorities and fans both opposed to an immediate return, this particular episode of Rayo's stadium ‘soap opera' looks set to continue for some time yet.