LaLiga Postpones Match Due to Unsafe Pitch Conditions

The LaLiga match scheduled for Saturday between Rayo Vallecano and Real Oviedo has been postponed, as announced by the league, due to concerns regarding player safety stemming from the condition of the pitch.

Rayo Vallecano had recently installed a new playing surface at their Vallecas Stadium; however, heavy rainfall in Madrid over the past few days has hindered the pitch from achieving optimal conditions necessary for play.

The league stated, “At present, the field does not meet the necessary guarantees for holding the match under safe conditions,” emphasizing that this decision was made to ensure the physical integrity of the players.

Both teams are currently facing relegation challenges, with Real Oviedo positioned at the bottom of the LaLiga table with 16 points, and Rayo Vallecano in 18th place with 22 points. Last week, Oviedo secured their first victory in 15 league matches by defeating Girona 1-0.

A new date for this fixture has yet to be determined.

LaLiga acknowledged Rayo Vallecano’s significant efforts to replace the pitch entirely in hopes of facilitating the match. However, adverse weather conditions during the installation process, coupled with forecasts for continued rain, have rendered the pitch unplayable.

“Both the club and LaLiga utilized all available resources to explore every possible option for proceeding with the match until the last moment. However, the present state of the pitch and the ongoing rain forecast make it impossible to guarantee player safety,” the league added.

On the preceding Friday, Rayo’s players and coaching staff expressed their concerns through a statement issued by the players’ union, AFE, regarding the pitch’s condition, the stadium, and their training facilities. Sources within the club indicated significant doubts about the feasibility of the game going forward.

“In the last month, the condition of the pitch in Vallecas has been clearly deficient,” the statement noted. “We believe the pitch does not meet the minimum standards required for a top-level match.”

Real Oviedo, whose team and many fans had already traveled to Madrid for the game, released a statement expressing solidarity with Rayo’s squad while also criticizing Rayo’s management of the situation.

“Real Oviedo expresses its deep dissatisfaction with this serious setback and substantial disruption to player availability, which directly affects our team, considering our league position and the significance of the points at stake,” the club stated. “We will review and pursue all appropriate actions with the relevant authorities to safeguard the outcome of the match.”

Roberto Suarez, the general director of Oviedo, commented, “It isn’t the same playing this game today, or in two weeks’ time. Given our current form and that of other teams, it’s an important situation. We feel we are not being treated fairly compared to other clubs in the league.”