Rayo-Athletic match suspended after paper plane protest — SkimNews
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- Rayo Vallecano's LaLiga match against Athletic Club was suspended on Saturday after fans hurled paper airplanes and rubber balls onto the pitch in protest at president Raúl Martín Presa.
- The referee halted play in the 13th minute and then ordered players off with less than 30 minutes played after the situation worsened; both teams briefly reemerged hoping to restart but officials officially abandoned the fixture.
- Rayo confirmed the suspension came "upon the recommendation of the police," with supporters chanting for Presa to resign over accusations of stadium neglect and years of poor club management.
- Saturday's game was Rayo's first back at Estadio de Vallecas after safety concerns forced them to play their opening three home league matches of the season at Leganés' Estadio Butarque.
- LaLiga and the Community of Madrid had barred Rayo from opening the season at Vallecas citing fire-protection deficiencies, electrical-installation issues, emergency lighting problems, hygiene and sanitation deficiencies, and missing mandatory safety documentation.
- Earlier in the year the stadium also caused February's Rayo vs Real Oviedo match to be postponed over pitch safety concerns, while the Atlético Madrid fixture a week later was relocated to Butarque.
Why it matters: The suspension hands LaLiga a logistical headache as it must reschedule a fixture and underscores how persistent infrastructure failures at Estadio de Vallecas — spanning fire, electrical, and sanitation deficiencies — have eroded trust between Rayo supporters and Presa's board, turning a stadium dispute into a direct action that stopped a top-flight game.
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