News
Butarque prepares to host Rayo's league debut because Vallecas is closed
Rayo Vallecano already has an alternative for starting the season if Vallecas stadium cannot reopen in time. CD Leganés has agreed with the striped club and the Community of Madrid to loan Butarque stadium for the first league matchday, when Rayo are due to host Deportivo Alavés on 20 August.
The solution comes after the Community provisionally suspended the Vallecas stadium concession after detecting serious safety shortcomings during a technical audit. The report identified maintenance problems, fire risks, deficiencies in air-conditioning systems and hygiene and sanitation facilities, which forced urgent works to begin before the venue could be allowed to reopen.
The agreement provides for the match to be played at Butarque only if the work at Vallecas is not completed in time. Leganés has explained that the loan will take place while safeguarding the interests of its season-ticket holders and the club itself. In addition, part of the income obtained from the match will be allocated to initiatives aimed at the pepinero supporters, as already occurred in a similar loan during the previous season.
The situation has been marked by tension between the Community of Madrid and Rayo's board. The regional government reported to the National Police that the technicians sent to inspect the stadium had been unable to access the facilities on two occasions. After a meeting between the Sports Minister, Mariano de Paco Serrano, the club president, Raúl Martín Presa, and representatives of the squad, the specialists were finally allowed in to assess the condition of the venue.
Despite the rapprochement between the two sides, the Community is keeping open the administrative procedure to terminate the stadium concession and is not relinquishing the legal action initiated against the managing entity. The regional executive considers that the deterioration of the venue is due to a prolonged lack of maintenance and says it will continue processing the case while the works progress.
The possible move to Butarque prevents Rayo from having to play their league opener outside the Community of Madrid. Indeed, other cities, such as Burgos, had offered their facilities to host the match. With this provisional solution, the aim is for the team to begin the competition close to its supporters while the problems keeping one of the most emblematic stadiums in Madrid football closed are resolved.