Rayo La Liga match abandoned after fan protests

Rayo Vallecano's La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao was abruptly halted on Saturday due to fan protests at their home stadium in Vallecas. The team, playing their first La Liga match at the venue this season, faced chaos from the start when their supporters threw objects onto the pitch. The referee initially paused the game and led the players to the dressing rooms after a few minutes of play in the 13th minute.

Despite the teams coming back onto the field to resume the match, the protests persisted as fans continued to throw items onto the field. Consequently, the game was called off with the score remaining goalless. The ongoing demonstrations were fueled by widespread dissatisfaction with Rayo Vallecano's management under president Raul Martin Presa, as well as concerns about the stadium's condition and the training facilities.

Previously, the club had played three home matches this season at Butarque stadium in Madrid after their own ground required urgent repairs for serious safety deficiencies. The Vallecas stadium has been in poor upkeep during Rayo's lease, and the Madrid regional government is actively pursuing to terminate the lease deal. The previous season, Rayo played a league match at Butarque due to the Vallecas pitch being unfit for play.