La Liga: Rayo match against Bilbao abandoned after fan protests

On Saturday, Rayo Vallecano's La Liga match against Athletic Club was called off after home supporters launched a protest against the club's owner, Raul Martin Presa. The game, Rayo's inaugural fixture of the season at the Estadio de Vallecas, had recently been temporarily shut down due to severe health and safety concerns, including the potential for Legionnaires disease. Presa has faced criticism for the poor maintenance of the stadium's facilities and reluctance to modernize the club.

During the 13th minute, when Rayo fans typically chant "Presa leave now," protesters threw paper airplanes and small rubber balls onto the pitch. The referee halted the game, prompting the stadium announcer to ask the fans to cease throwing objects onto the field. Stewards swiftly removed the items from the grass. Play resumed approximately 15 minutes later, only for supporters in the south stand to once again throw objects onto the field. Unable to continue, the match was abandoned with the score tied at zero.

In response to the incident, Athletic Club announced they would contact their traveling fans to process refunds. The Spanish football association had previously received a letter from Rayo's players, describing the Vallecas pitch as "unplayable" and highlighting issues such as the absence of hot water in the showers and inadequate cleaning.

The club had started the season without a training ground due to mold contamination, but found themselves still unable to use their own facilities. Despite these setbacks, Rayo managed to reach the final of the Uefa Conference League, where they lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace.

Rayo Vallecano fans often face long queues to purchase tickets at the stadium's limited box office, as the club is the only top-flight Spanish team without an official online ticketing platform. Currently, Rayo sits in 13th place in La Liga with two wins from their first seven games of the season.