welcome
Guardian

Guardian

Sports

Sports

Rayo Vallecano celebrate banner night: ‘25 years later, Europe sees us again’

Guardian
Summary
Nutrition label

70% Informative

Rayo Vallecano's fans rolled out the banner at 10.46pm on the last Saturday of the season and rolled it away again a minute later .

They were only 15 seconds into the invasion when Augusto Batalla had given his shorts away.

Rayo were on the verge of qualifying for the Conference League when Osasuna lost 1 -0 to Alavés in Vitoria .

Rayo Vallecano have only ever played in Europe once before, in the 2001 Uefa Cup , when they reached the quarter -finals having been handed a place thanks to the fair play table.

The only time they had actually qualified, they were banned from taking the place because the club was in administration.

Rayo have never won anything, or even played a final, and have never even played in a final.

This is the only club with no online ticket sales and they’re not very good at telling anyone when the actual ticket offices will open.

Rayo Vallecano ! were on their way into Europe .

The biggest party they had ever seen was earned the hard way.

“That’s the first I had heard of it, but I will follow,” Pérez said. “After the game I hugged Batalla . He was crying. And he said: Mister, tonight you will celebrate’, because he knows I never do. I said: well, tomorrow I’ve got to think about the Conference League tomorrow .