Rayo Vallecano's La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao was suspended on Saturday, October 10, after home supporters repeatedly threw objects onto the pitch while protesting against club president Raúl Martín Presa. The match at the Estadio de Vallecas was halted in the 13th minute with the score at 0-0. Paper airplanes and small rubber balls were among the objects thrown onto the playing surface, disrupting the game and prompting the referee to intervene.
The match briefly resumed after the first interruption, but the protests continued despite warnings from the stadium announcer that further disruptions could lead to the game being abandoned. Players and officials eventually left the field after additional objects were thrown onto the pitch. Following discussions with police and team officials, the referee decided to suspend the match on police advice. Rayo Vallecano later confirmed the decision in a statement, while supporters responded with applause.
The demonstrations were directed at Presa, who has led the Madrid-based club since 2011 and has faced sustained criticism from sections of the fanbase. Supporters have raised concerns about the club's management and the condition of its home stadium. Chants demanding his departure were heard during the match, while the Bukaneros, a prominent group of Rayo supporters, were among those involved in the protests. Players Óscar Valentín and Isi Palazón also approached supporters in an attempt to calm the situation.
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The fixture was particularly significant because it marked Rayo Vallecano's return to their home ground for a league match this season. The Estadio de Vallecas had been temporarily closed after local authorities raised safety concerns about its condition and revoked the stadium's licence. As a result, the club had been forced to play its first three home matches at the stadium of Leganés in a neighbouring Madrid suburb. Many Rayo supporters boycotted those games in protest over the situation.
The dispute over the stadium has further strained relations between the club's management and its supporters. Fans have blamed Presa for the problems surrounding the ground, while the club president has accused regional authorities of unfairly targeting the club. Protests against his leadership had also taken place during a friendly match the previous week, when anti-Presa graffiti appeared at the stadium. The return to Vallecas had been expected to mark a fresh start, but instead became the setting for another demonstration of the growing discontent.
La Liga condemned the throwing of objects onto the pitch, saying such behaviour endangered safety and prevented the normal conduct of the competition. The league confirmed that the match would be rescheduled, with a new date and time to be announced. Rayo Vallecano said it would seek to identify those responsible for the disruption. The incident has highlighted the continuing conflict between the club's leadership and its supporters, with the stadium's safety issues and the team's home-ground arrangements remaining central to the dispute.
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