Martín Presa warns Rayo Vallecano would build a new stadium if Vallecas licence is withdrawn

Rayo Vallecano president Raúl Martín Presa has responded to the crisis surrounding the club's ground with a firm message: leaving Vallecas is not in his plans, but if public institutions were to withdraw the stadium licence, the club would be forced to build a new home immediately. Speaking on 'El Partidazo de COPE', he insisted the stadium is in optimal condition and announced possible legal action.

• Rayo Vallecano will play Saturday's match against Racing de Santander at Butarque, as also happened against Alavés.
• Martín Presa insists the club wants to stay in the Vallecas district and that leaving is the last thing he wants.
• If the situation is repeated against Espanyol, the president announces legal measures.
• The club boss believes the stadium is in optimal condition and that fans face no danger at the ground.

Martín Presa's warning about a possible new stadium for Rayo

The Rayo chairman made clear that his absolute priority is to remain in Vallecas, understood as the entire district of Madrid. During the radio interview, he insisted that as long as he runs the club, staying in the area is a commitment he has repeated on countless occasions. However, he also admitted there is one scenario that would change all the plans.

If, hypothetically, that licence were withdrawn from us one day, we would have to build another stadium immediately, we would try to do it in the Vallecas district, but if that proved impossible, we would survive first, but it is the last thing we want.

With those words, Martín Presa outlined an extreme scenario that has not yet happened, but one the club is prepared for given the current deadlock. The priority would remain finding land within the district, although he did not rule out looking elsewhere if circumstances made that impossible.

Butarque becomes Rayo Vallecano's temporary home once again

Rayo Vallecano announced on Thursday through a club statement that Saturday's match at 18:30 against Racing de Santander will take place at Butarque, in Leganés. It is the second time in a row that the Madrid side must play as the home team away from Vallecas, after the same situation occurred against Alavés.

Martín Presa admitted his surprise at the decision and said the club was one hundred percent convinced that Saturday's game could be played at their own ground. In his view, there is no understandable reason why the fixture cannot go ahead at Vallecas, a stadium he believes meets every requirement.

Legal action if Rayo cannot host Espanyol at Vallecas

The club's patience has a limit. If the next home fixture, against Espanyol, also cannot be played at Vallecas, the Rayo president will move from words to action. Martín Presa made his position clear: they will seek legal support against what he considers an outrage.

The chairman was especially critical of the argument that an audit must be signed before the stadium can be used. For him, if the facilities are properly maintained, it is unacceptable to make the opening of the ground conditional on that procedure. In his opinion, the club is being put under unnecessary pressure.

Defending the safety and maintenance of the Vallecas stadium

Martín Presa wanted to send a reassuring message to Rayo supporters. As he argued in the interview, the stadium is in optimal condition and attending Vallecas poses no risk to fans. The chairman insisted that the ground has always been kept in correct condition, both in terms of maintenance and safety.

He also recalled that the relevant evacuation drills have been carried out every season, a standard procedure at sports venues. With these facts, the president aims to dismantle the idea that the stadium is not ready to host professional football matches.

The sporting, financial and emotional cost of playing at Butarque

Beyond the debate over the licence or safety, the Rayo president highlighted the real consequences of not playing at Vallecas. Forcing around 15,000 people to travel to Leganés causes enormous damage to the fanbase, which sees the team lose the advantage of playing at home.

Martín Presa was very clear when assessing the sporting impact. He said the two points dropped against Alavés would not have been lost had the match been played at Vallecas. He also warned of the risk of relegation the team is being subjected to, the anxiety it creates among the players, and the financial and reputational losses that come with the situation.

Frequently asked questions about the Vallecas stadium conflict