Rayo Vallecano: paper plane protest forces Athletic match to be abandoned

Rayo Vallecano returned to Avenida de Albufera after 147 days away, but their match with Athletic Club was abandoned after 24 minutes and 56 seconds. At the 13th minute, whistles blew and thousands of paper planes flooded the pitch, making it impossible to continue. The referee stopped the game as warnings were issued until the ground was cleared, as reported by The Guardian.

The protest targeted club president Raúl Martín Presa, with “SOS Rayo Vallecano” stickers around the stadium, his image on scarves and the distribution of small plastic balls before kick-off. Flyers also carried step-by-step instructions to fold the planes, alongside the chant “Presa, go now!”.

The unrest follows the Madrid government suspending an agreement that lets the club use the stadium for €81,784 per year, leaving Rayo to play away for months and triggering growing anger over pitch conditions. In the account, striker Sergio Camello said what matters is “what they stand for,” not just the football.