Rayo Vallecano vs Valencia

After the excitement and drama at the Vicente Calderon between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid the time came to have a nosey at another Madrid side, Rayo Vallecano.

Before we continue a huge thank you goes to Mr Paul Reidy for sorting us tickets to go and see his beloved Rayo, a top man indeed and a man who chose Rayo over the bright lights of Real and Atleti, maximum respect.

 

After picking up the tickets and talking all things football with Paul we shunned the possibility of the Friday night game at Getafe who were due to host Espanyol in an uncovered stadium commanding a minimum entry fee of  €30 around an hours train ride away, as it turned out we went for a glorious tapas dinner at the Mercado de San Miguel and the game ended 0-0, a Foster's style good call.


Rushing down Line 1 of the Metro from Piramides after the derby to Portgazo was relatively stress-free, even better that the stadium exit brings you out literally face to face with the man on the turnstile. Activity around the ground was positive with many bars and fast food outlets doing a roaring trade off the 9,000 crowd in attendance.

Scarf purchased and into the ground we went, times must be hard at Rayo for the supporters to be deprived of toilet paper and a hand dryer but hey ho we weren't here for the hospitality, where are those buccaneers? The buccaneers are Rayo's ultra following who stand themselves behind the goal in the south stand and happen to be rather entertaining to watch throughout the game as we will come to later.

The Campo de futbol de Vallecas is a three sided stadium with two sides of equal height and design running down either touchline and the open air fondo sur housing the ultra's at one end with the other bearing a large advertising hoarding in place of a stand. We were housed in the Lateral C for the evening with perfect views of both the action and the ultras.

Stand out names in the Vallecano eleven included Razvan Rat from West Ham and Ruben Rochina on loan from Blackburn. Valencia lined up with ex-Arsenal and Fulham centre back Phillipe Senderos at the heart of their back line. The game started positively with Rayo looking to play from the back and knocking the ball around well, the Buccaneers were in full voice and treating us to various light, flag and scarf displays throughout the 90.

The gentleman next to me, resembling Tamer Hassan from such films as The football factory and The Business smoked his way through an entire packet of fags during the first half, it must be a nervous business following Rayo. Back on the pitch however Valencia made our new friend choke on his tobacco by hitting the crossbar and firing a free kick narrowly wide whilst Rayo looked for front man Joaquin Larrivey, sporting the typical look of a south American centre forward, who struck the post with the best effort of the half.


After being treated to a spot of AC/DC at half time the teams emerged for the second period, Vallecano began the better with Trashorras dictating the play nicely in the centre and Galvez and Castro looking comfortable in the middle of the back four. With little over an hour gone Rayo struck, a cross from the left floated over to the far post onto the head of Larrivey to plant the ball past Diego Alves in the Valencia goal and send Vallecas wild to the tune of Europe's 'The final countdown' number one when I was born back in 1986 in case any of you were interested.

Valencia responded by piling on the pressure but Rayo were standing firm, sticking to the passing game and working harder than their opponents. Things didn't improve for the men in orange as Barragan decided to fly in on Falque to pick up his second yellow card of the evening and Valencia went down to 10 men.

That didn't deter the away side though and forward they came as Rayo began to soak up the pressure. Aside from the odd free kick and set play nothing came of the pressure and Rayo held on for a well earned victory.

Smelling like a freshly lit Marlbrough light complete with wet arse (who ever thought that seats would require drainage), leaving Vallecas was as easy as the entry, straight out of the exit and into the metro, it had been one hell of a day and quite simply the best weekend we've had doing these trips to date. Madrid you have been beautiful.