Vallecas return turns ugly: vandalized stands, a frozen scoreboard and chants against Raúl Martín Presa

Rayo Vallecano came home this Wednesday for the Trofeo de Vallecas friendly against Cagliari, but the real story unfolded far from the pitch. What was meant to be a neighborhood celebration turned into a tense afternoon at Vallecas Stadium, with seats cut and covered in paint, bathrooms in poor condition, a scoreboard that froze mid-game and relentless chants against president Raúl Martín Presa. Football became the least important part of the day.

• The long-awaited return to Vallecas drew 4,462 fans, well short of a festive atmosphere.
• Several areas of the stadium showed dirt, damaged bathrooms and taps without running water.
• The presidential box was found with seats cut open and stained with paint.
• A group of hooded supporters protested near the VIP area and the club reported an attempted assault on the box.
• The new scoreboard froze on 45 minutes when the match was already in the 55th.

A stadium that returns half-finished: dirt, damaged bathrooms and unprepared stands

The reopening of Vallecas Stadium exposed the real condition of a venue that still has visible shortcomings. Many fans arrived curious to see the improvements that allowed the return home, but found a scene far from their expectations. Several seats were stained, bathrooms had waste on the floors and in some spots the taps had no water at all.

The press boxes also showed dirt and poorly arranged wiring, a clear sign that the stadium's facelift is far from complete. Rayo Vallecano still has eight pending improvements in different areas of the ground; if they are not fixed, the concession held by the club could be revoked. That unfinished business was felt in every corner during the Trofeo de Vallecas.

The new scoreboard fails in the middle of the match against Cagliari

Technology did not help either on the day of the new scoreboard's debut. In the 54th minute, with the score at 1-0, a 1 appeared next to Cagliari's badge, and a minute later the score reset correctly but the clock did not. For several moments, the time froze at 45 minutes when the match was already around the 55th.

The glitch, however brief, added another layer to an afternoon in which almost nothing worked as it should. Rayo had placed part of the excitement of the return on improved infrastructure and a better image for the stadium, but the friendly against the Italian side made clear that normality in Vallecas is still far away.

A vandalized presidential box and the club's response over the campaign against Martín Presa

The most serious image came from the presidential box, where several seats were found with cuts and paint stains. Rayo Vallecano condemned the incidents in an initial statement that framed them as part of a campaign of harassment, extortion and intimidation against the president and his family that, according to the club, has been ongoing since July 28.

In the same statement, the club pointed directly at the Community of Madrid and the regional minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Mariano de Paco, with an open question included in the official text. The politician responded on social media, condemning the vandalism and insisting that this is not the way to resolve the stadium's problems.

Chants, banners and a public-address call for calm

The tension quickly spread to the stands. Three minutes after referee Munuera Montero's opening whistle, chants against Raúl Martín Presa began and grew louder between the 15th and 30th minutes. Fans displayed a banner reading “Por un Rayo despresado”, a clear message against the ownership, and the stadium's PA system even had to ask for calm.

A group of hooded supporters gathered near the edge of the main stand to protest against the board. Neither the president nor the vice-president was in the VIP area at that moment. Later in the second half, Raúl Martín Presa appeared to present gifts to Rayo captain Óscar Valentín and hand the Trofeo de Vallecas to Cagliari as tournament winners. There was no official photo.

Beñat San José acknowledges the tense mood ahead of the Athletic Club match

Rayo Vallecano head coach Beñat San José did not dodge questions about the atmosphere after the match. He admitted there were periods of real tension and recognized that the situation is putting everyone on edge. Still, he tried to focus on the positives and defended the fans' right to express themselves, hoping things settle down soon.

The coach insisted that a solution would be in everyone's interest, but the end of the evening raised more questions than answers. On October 10, Rayo host Athletic Club on matchday 8 of LaLiga EA Sports, and many supporters are already wondering whether to show up at a stadium that gave no relief even to its own on Wednesday.

After the match, the club published a second statement alleging that some of the hooded individuals tried to storm the box from outside the stands and later through the main entrance. The club also claimed that comments made during the Rayo assembly organized by Plataforma ADRV created fertile ground for the incidents.

There was a tense atmosphere at times. It is a moment of tension that is taking place. I try to focus on the positive. The fans have the right to express themselves and I hope everything returns to normal.

Frequently asked questions about Rayo Vallecano's return to Vallecas