Madrid-based soccer club Rayo Vallecano has been forced to close its ground temporarily after complaints from supporters and an accident involving a four-year-old boy.
Renovation work was carried out at the venue before the club’s return to La Liga following its promotion in May this year, but fans who attended the August 19 match against Sevilla FC reported seeing debris, dust and poles lying around the venue. Photographs showing debris in stairwells, scaffolding still in place and damaged seating have been widely shared on social media. The child reportedly fell through a poorly-constructed gate.
The decision to close Vallecas Stadium until October 15 was taken after a meeting between the club, the ground’s owners (the city of Madrid), and representatives of La Liga, Spain’s top football division.
The club’s next home match, against Athletic Bilbao on September 1, has been postponed. La Liga said in a statement that it would “work to find a solution that suits all parties for the upcoming matches”. Among the options being discussed are holding the matches behind closed doors or reversing the fixtures, so that the club’s next games would be played away.
August 31, 2018
By Tara Craig
