Rayo Vallecano has appointed Óscar Carazo Manzano as the new sporting director of its youth academy. The news comes in a week where the first team prepares for a tough clash against leaders Barcelona, having taken just one point from their first two La Liga games.
Carazo, 44, was presented to the Rayo Vallecano B squad this Tuesday. He takes charge at a delicate moment for the subsidiary team, which is enduring a forgettable preseason with scarce reinforcements, significant departures, and last-minute friendly cancellations. His mission will be to stabilize and enhance the club's youth structure.
Who is Óscar Carazo?
Óscar Carazo Manzano is an executive with a solid academic and practical profile. He holds a diploma in Economics, is a national coach, and has a master's in Talent Development in Football from the European University of Madrid. He is also certified as a sporting director by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
His experience in academy management is extensive. He was part of Real Madrid's structure between 2007 and 2018, serving as zone coordinator, responsible for affiliated clubs, head of recruitment, and finally assistant director. With the Madrid youth setup, he achieved numerous national titles. Later, he was sporting director at Recreativo de Huelva and Rayo Majadahonda before joining Real Betis Balompié in 2022.
What did he do at Real Betis?
At the Seville-based club, Óscar Carazo served as technical secretary for formative football for the last four seasons. His main task was to direct recruitment policy for the lower levels, coordinating a team of up to 23 scouts. According to the Matagigantes report, scouting and recruitment in Vallecas has been described as a kind of mythical beast, an area Carazo will need to modernize and make efficient.
His move to Rayo comes after leaving Betis this summer. He lands in Vallecas with "the work practically done, in theory," as the academy teams are 90% closed, but he acknowledges he has "a lot of work to do." The challenge is enormous, especially considering Rayo's youth football "shone not too long ago."
What happens to the previous structure?
Carazo's arrival triggers a reshuffle in the academy hierarchy. The previous head, Antonio Ríos, is not leaving the club. Instead, Ríos moves to a secondary role and will now report to the new sporting director, Óscar Carazo. This move aims for an orderly transition, leveraging internal knowledge while injecting a new external vision.
The first-team context adds another layer of relevance to this appointment. Rayo Vallecano currently sits 13th in La Liga, with one point from two games (0 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss) and a record of two goals scored and three conceded. This Sunday, August 31st, they visit Barcelona, the league leaders, in a match you can follow on our fixtures page. The gap to Barça is five points, making the need to build a solid future from the base even more pressing.
What does the academy's success depend on?
The probability of this new project's success, according to the source's analysis, will depend to a high percentage on president Raúl Martín Presa. The support and resources the board wants to allocate to the academy will be decisive. Carazo has the credentials and experience, but he needs tools and backing to turn around the subsidiary's situation and restore the shine to an academy that was once a benchmark.
The work begins immediately, with the long-term goal of feeding the first team. Fans can track the progress of all categories and the professional squad on our squad page. The appointment of Óscar Carazo is a clear bet on professionalizing the academy at a pivotal moment for the club's future.
