Rayo Vallecano fans protest against the club president, force stoppage to game against Bilbao

Madrid's Rayo Vallecano supporters disrupted their team's La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, causing the game to be threatened with suspension. The unrest stemmed from the fans' dissatisfaction with Rayo Vallecano's management under club president Raúl Martín Presa. In the 13th minute of play, Rayo's players left the field, followed by the fans, who began throwing paper airplanes onto the pitch.

The stadium announcer announced the match suspension at the 20th minute if the protests persisted. The game briefly resumed in the 24th minute before being halted again. After the players and officials exited the field, the fans continued their chants against Presa. This was Rayo's first league game at their home stadium in Madrid's Vallecas neighborhood since the city authorities closed the venue due to safety concerns over its dilapidated condition.

The club had lost its stadium license after city officials deemed the stadium unsafe. A week prior, Rayo fans had also chanted against Presa during a friendly match at the stadium, and graffiti with the message "Presa, leave now" appeared on the presidential box. The region's sports minister, Mariano de Paco, had urged calm the day before the match, expressing hope that Rayo would eventually receive a stadium worthy of the team.