Rayo Vallecano has received positive news regarding the future of its stadium. Mariano de Paco, Councillor for Culture, Tourism and Sport of the Community of Madrid, has mediated to offer a path forward for the Vallecas ground, which currently does not meet the minimum hygiene and safety standards for La Liga.
De Paco explained that Tuesday's match against Espanyol, the team's third home game of the season, cannot be held at Vallecas. The fixture will be moved to Butarque. However, the councillor indicated that work is underway to allow the following home match to be played at Rayo's traditional ground.
"It will not be possible for Tuesday's match, but we will try to ensure the next match can be played there," said Mariano de Paco. The official detailed that reports are being prepared to verify if the stadium's deficiencies due to lack of maintenance or club non-compliance have been resolved.
Administrative process continues
De Paco clarified that the concession for stadium operation will not be returned to Martín Presa. The process to extinguish the club's concession will continue because, according to the administration, Rayo Vallecano has not fulfilled its obligations to the required standard, both sportingly and financially.
"They are preparing the reports to see if those elements the stadium lacked due to poor maintenance or club non-compliance have been solved and, if so, we hope the October match can be played normally," added the councillor.
This update arrives at a difficult time for the team in the competition. Rayo Vallecano sits 16th in La Liga with 4 points, after one win, one draw and three losses in the first five matchdays. Their last match was a heavy 4-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu against Real Madrid on September 12. The team's recent form is a concern, conceding an average of 2.4 goals per game over their last five matches.
The team now faces a trip to El Sadar to play Osasuna on September 19, an opponent currently 11th in the table. Rayo has several important absences for that match, including Augusto Batalla, Jozhua Vertrouwd, Luiz Felipe and Randy Nteka. Forward Sergio Camello, the team's top scorer with 6 goals in 5 appearances, will be a key piece in the attack. Fans can check the full season schedule on our fixtures page and the squad status in the squad section.
The hope for the club and its supporters is that the technical reports are favourable and allow a return to Vallecas next month, closing a chapter of uncertainty that adds to the sporting challenges of the season, in which the team has been struggling to maintain an average possession of just 48.2 goal minutes per match.
This story first appeared at Mundo Deportivo
