The Community of Madrid considers it "complicated" for Rayo Vallecano's next LaLiga match against RCD Espanyol to be played at the Estadio de Vallecas. The matchday six fixture, scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, may need to find a new venue for the third time this season due to safety issues at the regionally-owned stadium.
The Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sport, Mariano de Paco, described the club's failure to maintain the stadium as "very serious". The Community withdrew the concession for Vallecas on July 28, citing "serious safety deficiencies", "widespread obsolescence and a severe regulatory breach". Since then, Rayo has played its first two home matches at Leganés's Estadio Municipal de Butarque. The red-striped team currently sits 14th in LaLiga with 4 points, having recorded one win, one draw and two losses from their first four games.
What does Rayo Vallecano's audit report say?
The club submitted an audit report of over a thousand pages to the Community's technical staff. In it, Rayo Vallecano argues the stadium is in "perfect condition to host matches safely". Team captain Óscar Valentín backed this stance after the last match. "The other day I met the technicians from the Community of Madrid." the midfielder stated.
The club's board has urged the administration to resolve the situation "as soon as possible". However, Mariano de Paco was firm in stating that Rayo "trivializes safety" and must follow administrative procedures. The minister explained his department is speeding up procedures, completing in three days reports that normally take a month, but made clear there is no intention to return the concession until all safety and hygiene demands are met.
What is the team's current sporting context?
While this institutional conflict is resolved, Rayo Vallecano faces a tough sporting schedule. The team, which has scored 7 goals but conceded 10 so far this season, faces Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu this Thursday, September 12. This match against the third-placed side precedes the potential relocation of the Espanyol game. Also, the coaching staff is dealing with several key absences in the squad, as can be seen on the injuries page, which lists Augusto Batalla, Jozhua Vertrouwd and Luiz Felipe.
Manager Beñat San José, quoted in the report, was demanding of one of his players. "Camello has to keep working because he knows I'm going to demand even more from him," he declared. With an eight-point gap to leaders Barcelona, every home point is important for the season's objectives. The uncertainty over the venue does not help planning, as reflected in the fixtures schedule.
What will happen with the match against Espanyol?
Mariano de Paco expressed hope that the situation could normalize by October. Meanwhile, the possibility of the matchday six clash being held at Vallecas seems remote. The club insists its stadium is ready, but the administration maintains its stance of not yielding to what it considers a public safety risk.
This dispute highlights the tension between Rayo Vallecano's immediate sporting need and the legal obligations of the Community of Madrid as the property owner. The resolution will affect not only the September 15 match, but the entire planning of the team's home games for the coming weeks. Rayo Vallecano's next match is away at Real Madrid on September 12.
