Beñat San José still hopes to play in Vallecas

Rayo Vallecano coach Beñat San José said this Saturday he still “hopes” the team can play at Vallecas on 5 September against the Real Racing Club de Santander (LaLiga EA Sports matchday 4). He added that, as far as he knows, he has not been told otherwise, even though the Community of Madrid has not yet lifted an order to withdraw the stadium concession.

Vallecas, still uncertain

With the match just seven days away, Rayo must again prepare an alternative home venue. That’s because Racing has already announced that, next week, it will host Rayo in Butarque if Vallecas cannot be used.

Beñat said the situation is hurting football performance and the integrity of the competition: “Affects a lot… Not playing at our stadium is something tremendous at a sporting level.” Speaking in a press conference, he explained he has frequent contact with the club and that “everything is in order,” including LaLiga’s inspection, while the regional authorities appear to be conducting further checks.

He also stressed the club’s message about readiness: “The club has guaranteed that the stadium… is in optimal conditions to play.” Still, he criticized the uncertainty and argued that it’s harming the tournament.

Why the problem exists

The dispute comes from a decision made about a month ago by the Community of Madrid to withdraw Rayo’s concession while works are carried out. The regional government cited “serious safety deficiencies” and broader regulatory non-compliance. After that, Rayo tried to address the requirements and commissioned an audit of more than 1,000 pages, but the regional body has not yet given approval to open the stadium to the public (as reported by Mundo Deportivo).