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Rayo Vallecano

Full name	Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, SAD
Nickname(s)	Los Franjirrojos (The Red Sashes) Los Vallecanos (The Vallecans)
Founded	29 May 1924; 94 years ago (1924-05-29)
Ground	Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas, Madrid, Spain
Ground Capacity	14,708
Chairman	Raúl Martín Presa
Manager	Michel
League	La Liga
2017-2018	Segunda División, 1st
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours Third colours
Current season

Flag with the shield of the club at Ciudad Deportiva Rayo Vallecano.

Diego Costa with Rayo Vallecano in 2012.

Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D. (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈraʝo βaʎeˈkano ðe maˈðɾið]),^[a] often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas. Rayo was founded on 29 May 1924, and currently compete in La Liga following promotion from the Segunda División. Home games are held at the 14,708-seater Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas stadium.

Rayo has competed in one European competition, the UEFA Cup in the 2000–01 season. The club made it to the quarter-finals before losing to fellow countrymen Alavés 4–2 on aggregate.

History

Rayo Vallecano saw the light of day on 29 May 1924 in the hometown of Prudencia Priego, wife of the club's first president Julián Huerta. Greatly inspired by River Plate (a Football club from Argentina), in 1949, after an agreement with Atlético Madrid, a red diagonal stripe was added to the team's kit, and the club reached Tercera División for the first time in its history.^[1]

One of the perennial yo-yo clubs of Spanish football, and always in the shadow of the two biggest clubs in the city (Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid), Rayo Vallecano spent many years during the 1980s and 1990s moving back and forth between La Liga and Segunda División. They appeared to have consolidated their top flight status after gaining promotion in 1999, and the team's most successful season came in 2000–01 when they reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup, going out only to eventual runners-up Alavés;^[2] Rayo finished ninth in the previous campaign, but entered the competition via the fair play draw.^[3]

However, the club shortly thereafter fell on hard times, enduring successive relegations in 2003 and 2004. For 2005–06 manager Míchel, a Real Madrid legend in the 1980s and '90s, was hired.^[4]

Rayo finished the 2006–07 season in second place in Segunda División B, winning the promotion play-off semifinal but losing in the final to Eibar (1–2 aggregate).^[5]The following campaign, the team returned to division two after a four-year absence after a victorious run in the playoffs, disposing of Benidorm in the semi-final and Zamora in the last game 2–1 on aggregate.^[6]

In the first season back in the second tier of Spanish football, Rayo finished comfortably, often either in or just outside the promotion places. That same year, its women's team was crowned league champions for the first time, thereby qualifying for the UEFA Women's Champions League, but was eliminated 2–5 on aggregate in the round-of-32 by Russia's WFC Rossiyanka.

In 2010–11, Rayo Vallecano ranked in second position and returned to the top flight after an eight-year absence, only trailing champions Real Betis in spite of very serious economic problems.^[7][8][9] In late March 2012, in support of the 2011–12 Spanish protests, the squad decided to take one day off from training to join the demonstrations.^[10]

In August 2015, Rayo Vallecano purchased the majority of Oklahoma City FC, a NASL expansion franchise which had yet to officially play a game renaming the club to Rayo OKC, despite the stadium increasingly needing work. It was the first ever entry of a Spanish club into the American sports market and mirrored a 2013 sponsorship agreement with Qbao in terms of expanding the club's profile overseas.^[11][12] Rayo OKC folded after a year or so due to Rayo Vallecano's relegation from the Primera División and a dispute between the co-owners of Rayo OKC, led to less finance for the U.S. side.

In May 2016, Rayo Vallecano were relegated to the Segunda División, finishing 18th in the 2015–16 La Liga season. This ended their five-year streak in La Liga, their longest ever stay in the top-flight.^[13]

Rayo's first season back in Segunda División was a poor one, with both problems on the field and off, it led to them to finish in 12th position. Rayo went through 3 different managers in the 2016–17 Segunda División season and finally settling on club legend Míchel.^[14] He revived the club from the relegation places to 12th, almost making the playoffs.

At the start of the 2017–18 Segunda División season, the club appointed recently retired goalkeeper for Rayo - David Cobeño as the sporting director of the club.^[15] Rayo secured their return back to the Primera Division with a 1-0 over Lugo on the 41st game of the season.^[16]

Club background

• 
  Agrupación Deportiva El Rayo (29 May 1924 – 13 November 1947)


• 
  Agrupación Deportiva Rayo Vallecano (13 November 1947 – 1995)


• 
  Rayo Vallecano de Madrid (1995–present)

N.B. Affiliate of Club Atlético de Madrid in 1949–50

Season to season

• 
  18 seasons in La Liga
  


• 
  34 seasons in Segunda División
  


• 
  5 seasons in Segunda División B
  


• 
  11 seasons in Tercera División (third level before 1977–78)

European history

Season	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
2000–01 UEFA Cup	Qualifying round	Constel·lació Esportiva	6–0	10–0	16–0
	First round	Molde	1–1	1–0	2–1
	Second round	Viborg	1–0	1–2	2–2 (a)
	Third round	Lokomotiv Moscow	2–0	0–0	2–0
	Fourth round	Bordeaux	4–1	2–1	6–2
	Quarter-finals	Alavés	2–1	0–3	2–4

Current squad

As of 3 July 2018^[17]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Alberto García 5 DF Chechu Dorado 6 DF Gorka Elustondo 7 MF Álex Moreno 8 FW Óscar Trejo 9 MF Alejandro Domínguez 10 MF Emiliano Armenteros 11 MF Adri Embarba (Captain) 15 DF Abdoulaye Ba 21 FW Manucho

No. Position Player 24 FW Javi Guerra 25 GK Mario Fernández 27 MF Santi Comesaña 28 DF Sergio Akieme 29 MF Fran Beltrán 30 GK Lucho García — DF Javi Noblejas — MF Joni Montiel — FW Lass Bangoura

Reserve team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 32 DF Kike 33 FW Sergio Benito

No. Position Player 35 DF Mario Hernández

Current technical staff

Position	Staff
Manager	Michel
Assistant manager	Salva
Fitness coach	David Porcel
Scout	Rubén Reyes
Fitness coach	Víctor Paredes
Goalkeeping coach	Pedro Moncayo

Notable former players

Note: this list includes players that have played at least 100 league games and/or have reached international status.

Managers

Dates Name 1944–46 Cayetano Sardinero 1946–47 Julián Antón 1947–48 Luis Pérez 1948–49 Tomás Rodríguez Rubio 1949–50 Ramón de la Fuente 1950–51 Anselmo Nogales 1951–52 Félix Huete 1952–53 Lorenzo Sánchez Villar 1954–55 Cándido Machado 1953–54 Patricio Sánchez Calleja 1954–55 Manuel Alepuz 1955–56 Cándido Machado 1956–58 Ramón Colón 1958 Cándido Machado 1958–59 Lino Taioli 1959 Heriberto Herrera 1959–60 Ramón Colón 1960 Alfonso Aparicio 1960–61 Martín Camino 1961 Ramón Cobo 1961 Joseíto 1961–64 Herrero 1964–67 Pedro Eguiluz July 1967–June 69 José Antonio Olmedo July 1969–Feb 71 Manuel Peñalva

Dates Name Feb 1971–Jun 72 Enrique Orizaola Jul 1972–Jan 73 Manuel Vences Jan 1973–Jun 1974 José Antonio Olmedo Jun 1974–Jun 1975 Héctor Núñez Jun 1975–Feb 1976 Alfredo Di Stéfano Feb 1976–Jun 1976 José Antonio Olmedo Jul 1976–Jun 1977 García Verdugo Jun 1977–Jun 1978 Héctor Núñez Jul 1978–Jun 1979 Eduardo González Jun 1979–Feb 1980 Héctor Núñez Feb 1980–Jun 1980 Rafael Iriondo Jun 1980–Dec 1981 Eduardo González Dec 1981–Jun 1982 Manuel Peñalva Jun 1982–Jun 1983 Juanjo García Jul 1983–Nov 1983 Máximo Hernández Nov 1983–Jun 1984 Antonio Ruiz 1984–85 Eduardo Caturla 1985–87 Héctor Núñez Jul 1987–Jan 1990 Felines Jan 1990–Jun 1990 Emilio Cruz Jul 1990–Feb 1992 Eusebio Ríos Feb 1992–Jun 1993 José Antonio Camacho Jul 1993–Nov 1993 Felines Nov 1993–Feb 1994 Fernando Zambrano Feb 1994–Nov 1994 David Vidal

Dates Name Nov 1994–Jun 1995 Paquito Jun 1995–Oct 1995 Pedro Mari Zabalza Oct 1995–Apr 1996 Marcos Alonso July 1996–Feb 1997 Paquito Feb 1997–Mar 1997 Fernando Zambrano Mar 1997–Jun 1997 Máximo Hernández 1997–98 Josu Ortuondo Jul 1998 – Jun 2001 Juande Ramos Jul 2001–Oct 2001 Andoni Goikoetxea Oct 2001–Jun 2002 Gregorio Manzano July 2002–Jan 2003 Fernando Vázquez Feb 2003–Apr 2003 Gustavo Benítez Apr 2003–Jun 2003 Antonio Iriondo Jun 2003–Nov 2003 Julen Lopetegui Nov 2003–Feb 2004 Jorge D'Alessandro Feb 2004–Jun 2004 Txetxu Rojo Jun 2004–Jun 2005 Carlos Orúe Jul 2005 – Jun 2006 Míchel Jun 2006–Feb 2010 Pepe Mel Feb 2010–Jun 2010 Felipe Miñambres Jul 2010 – Jun 2012 José Ramón Sandoval Jul 2012–Jun 2016 Paco Jémez Jun 2016–Nov 2016 José Ramón Sandoval Nov 2016– Feb 2017 Rubén Baraja Feb 2017– Míchel

Club presidents

Stadium

Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas

Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas is a football stadium located on Calle Payaso Fofó 1, Vallecas. Opened on 10 May 1976, at first it was called "New Stadium Vallecas", but in January 2004, 13 years after the arrival of the Ruiz-Mateos family in 1991, it changed denominations, as the wife was also named by her husband, businessman José María, the first woman president of an elite football team.

It has a capacity of 14,708 spectators in an all-seated format, and dimensions of 102×64 m. Additionally, one of the goal ends does not have a grandstand, just a big wall with information panels.

In June 2009, the club announced plans for the construction of a new stadium.

Hymn

Although most people recognise the supporting songs by ska band Ska-P, Rayo Vallecano has an official hymn played at the stadium in home matches.

Rayo Vallecano always plays

with bravery, courage and nobility.

In every game it gives its heart

and chest and aspire to be the best.

No one can take the triumph from its hand,

when Rayo Vallecano is out to score.

Rayo Vallecano makes a virtue out of its game.

Rayo Vallecano is strength and youth.

To see the clean triumph of your colours

your fans follow you, and don't care where to,

and unanimous trumpet their cheerful voices.

Rayo has the nerve of a champion.

No one can take the triumph from its hand,

when Rayo Vallecano is out to score.

Rayo Vallecano makes a virtue out of its game.

Rayo Vallecano is strength and youth.

Alabi! Alaba!

Rayo Vallecano!

Ra, ra, ra!

Miscellaneous info

• Rayo Vallecano was Laurie Cunningham's last club – he was killed in a car crash just outside Madrid in 1989, after a sole season. He also had represented neighbours Real Madrid for four years.


• Spanish anti-fascist band Ska-P are outspoken supporters of the club and have dedicated two songs to it, named Como un Rayo and Rayo Vallecano.


• In March 2014, Huawei agreed to sponsor Rayo Vallecano for two league matches against Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao.^[18]
  


• In 2014, 85-year-old Vallecas resident Carmen Martínez Ayuso was evicted from her house after living there since the 1960s. Rayo Vallecano and particularly coach Paco Jémez were touched by her story, and subsequently offered to fund Martínez for the foreseeable future.^[19]
  


• Rayo's players are often involved in charity work, one instance of this is that the current club captain Roberto Trashorras, amongst other players, regularly helps out at a homeless shelter.

Fans

• Rayo's ultras- The Bukaneros - are known for their left-wing views and often display political messages and other protests, mainly against the commercialisation of football. Rayo's ultras often display anti-racism, anti-fascist and anti-homophobia messages, however, are often ostracised by the government because they are branded as an ultras, this occurred following the death of Deportivo La Coruña fan known as 'Jimmy' who died following clashes between fans, with the Bukaneros not involved at all in the clashes.


• The club is known for being the last neighbourhood club in Spain. As a result, the club represents the barrio and its working-class status.


• The club is known for chanting the song "La Vida Pirata" or in English "The Pirate Life" (a song based on the life pirates, in which the Bukaneros are named after).

Spanish:

La vida pirata es la vida mejor (bis)

sin trabajar (bis)

Sin estudiar (bis)

Con la botella de ron (bis)

Soy capitán (bis)

de un barco inglés (bis)

Y en cada puerto tengo una mujer (bis)

La rubia es (bis)

Fenomenal (bis)

Y la morena tampoco esta mal (bis)

Las inglesas con su seriedad (bis)

Y las francesas que todo lo dan (bis)

Si alguna vez (bis)

Me he de casar (bis)

Me he de casar (bis)

Con la del Rayo, una, una y no más (bis).''

English:

''The pirate life is the best life (bis)

without working (bis)

without studying (bis)

With the bottle of rum (bis)

I am captain (bis)

of an English ship (bis)

and in each port, I have a woman (bis)

the blonde is (bis)

phenomenal (bis)

and the brunette is not bad either (bis)

The English women with their seriousness (bis)

And the French women who give everything (bis)

If ever (bis)

I have to marry (bis)

I have to marry (bis)

with the one of Rayo, one, one and no more (bis).''

Notes

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rayo Vallecano.

• 
  Official website (in Spanish)
  


• 
  Official Radio website (in Spanish)
  


• 
  Official Community VK (in Russian)
  


• 
  Futbolme team profile (in Spanish)
  


• BDFutbol team profile


• 
  Rayo Herald – Updated club info (in Spanish)