In the 13th minute of the match between Rayo Vallecano and Athletic Club, supporters from both sides launched paper planes onto the playing surface at Vallecas Stadium. The act was not a random gesture; it was the opening move of a coordinated protest that quickly spread across the stands. The sight of dozens of white gliders drifting over the grass signaled the fans’ frustration and set the tone for what would become a prolonged interruption.
As the paper planes landed, the crowd’s voice rose in unison. Fans began chanting "Presa, escucha a la afición" and "Martín Presa, fuera de Vallecas", demanding that the clubís president listen to the supporters and leave the stadium area. The slogans were directed squarely at Martín Presa, reflecting a widespread belief that his leadership was responsible for the club’s current difficulties. The chants grew louder with each passing minute, underscoring the depth of the discontent.
Referee Sánchez Martínez responded to the unfolding scene by halting play. The initial stoppage lasted exactly ten minutes, during which officials attempted to clear the pitch of the paper planes and restore order. While the teams retreated to their benches, the stands remained animated, with fans continuing to voice their demands. The pause gave the protest a chance to intensify rather than dissipate.
Both sets of fans, despite their usual rivalry, stood together in their criticism of the club’s management, turning the stadium into a single bloc of dissent.
After the first ten‑minute break, the match remained suspended for another twenty minutes before a final decision was made. Throughout this interval, the protest showed no signs of weakening; instead, the unity between Rayo Vallecano and Athletic Club supporters became more apparent. Both sets of fans, despite their usual rivalry, stood together in their criticism of the club’s management, turning the stadium into a single bloc of dissent.
At 14:52, referee Sánchez Martínez announced that the match would not resume. The official suspension came after repeated attempts to restart the game were thwarted by further disruptions from the stands. The referee’s whistle, blown for the second time that day, signaled the end of the contest and validated the fans’ claim that their protest could not be ignored.
One of the most striking aspects of the episode was the solidarity displayed by fans of both clubs. Although Rayo Vallecano and Athletic Club traditionally compete fiercely, the protest saw their supporters join forces, chanting the same slogans and sharing the same objective: to highlight what they described as the unsustainable management of the club under Martín Presa. This cross‑fan cooperation turned a typical matchday into a rare moment of collective action.
The protest was rooted in a specific accusation: that the club’s leadership, headed by President Martín Presa, was already unsustainable. Fans argued that the current management model could not continue without significant change, and they used the match as a platform to press for better governance. The chants, the paper planes, and the sustained disruption all served as physical manifestations of this claim, linking the on‑field spectacle directly to the off‑field debate about the club’s future.