Saturday’s LaLiga game between Rayo Vallecano and Real Oviedo has been postponed, the league has announced, with concerns over player safety due to the state of the pitch.
Rayo had installed a new surface at their Vallecas Stadium this week, but the league said that heavy rain in Madrid in recent days «had prevented the pitch from reaching the necessary optimal condition.»
«At the present time, the field does not meet the necessary guarantees for holding the match under safe conditions,» the league said, adding that the decision had been taken «with the aim of ensuring the physical integrity of the players.»
Both clubs are currently involved in a relegation battle, with Oviedo bottom of the LaLiga table, on 16 points, and Rayo in 18th place, on 22 points.
Oviedo got their first win in 15 league games last week, when they beat Girona 1-0.
A new date for the fixture is yet to be confirmed.
«It should be noted that Rayo Vallecano made significant efforts, undertaking a complete replacement of the pitch, with the aim of allowing the match to proceed as planned,» LaLiga said. » However, adverse weather conditions during the works, as well as the forecast for continued rain in the coming hours, have prevented the pitch from reaching the necessary optimal condition.
«Both the club and LaLiga have used all available resources to try to exhaust every option for playing the match until the very last moment. However, the condition of the pitch and the forecast for today, with continued rain, make it impossible to guarantee the safety of the players.»
On Friday, Rayo’s players and coaching staff issued a statement via the players’ union AFE, raising concerns about the state of the pitch, stadium and their training ground.
At that time, sources close to the dressing room told ESPN that there were significant doubts over whether Saturday’s game would go ahead.
«In the last month, the state of the pitch in Vallecas has been clearly deficient,» the statement said. «We believe the pitch does not meet the minimum conditions to play a top-level game.»
Visitors Oviedo — who, along with many fans, had already made the trip to Madrid for Saturday’s game — said in a statement on Saturday that they «expressed solidarity and empathy with Rayo’s squad, coaching staff and fans» but also criticised Rayo’s handling of the situation.
«Real Oviedo expresses its deep displeasure at this serious setback and substantial disruption to player availability which directly affects our team, considering our league position and the importance of the points at stake,» the club said. «The club will analyse and pursue all appropriate actions with the relevant authorities to safeguard the game’s result.»
«It isn’t the same playing this game today, or in two week’s time,» Oviedo director general Roberto Suarez said. «With the form we’ve been in, and that of other teams… We won’t go down or stay up because of this. But it’s an important situation. We don’t think we’re being treated like other teams in the league.»
