Rayo Vallecano manager skips press conference after bust-up with defender | OneFootball

There was confusion in the press room on Thursday night, when after a heroic victory in the Conference League against Lech Poznan, Rayo Vallecano manager Inigo Perez did not appear in front of the media. Skipping UEFA regulations, it was announced that he did not feel well, and so would not be taking questions.

However it seems that the cause may have been a furious confrontation with defender Ivan Balliu. The latter was taken off just before the hour-mark, and did not acknowledge his teammate, to which Perez reacted angrily. The two had to be calmed down during the game, as cameras captured the bust-up.

‘We had a meeting’ – Andrei Ratiu

The man who replaced Balliu, Andrei Ratiu, spoke to the press after the game, and confirmed to Cadena SER that the players had had a meeting after the match. He explained that being on the pitch, he was unsure as to what exactly had occurred.

“It’s something that shouldn’t have come out… There was a meeting, and there’s no need to overthink it. It’s something that happens at every club, period.”

Image via Juanjo Martín / EFE

Director of Football David Cobeno, who carried out the press conference instead, did take questions from the media. He noted that they ‘did not know exactly what had happened to him.’

Rayo owner responds to Lech Poznan mockery

Ahead of the game, Lech Poznan had published a video of their facilities, with a derisory tone about the state of Vallecas. Something that did not go down well with President Raul Martin Presa, who responded before the match.

“Trying to humiliate, laugh at, or mock someone for their humility or poverty, whether it’s a person or a football club, seems deplorable to me,” he told Cadena SER before the match.

“That dressing room has been renovated and adapted this summer to meet LaLiga standards. When it was in its worst state, no other team did anything similar, and players of the caliber of Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi have come through. Mbappé will be there on Sunday, and I don’t see Real Madrid doing something like this.”

Image via Apo Caballero / Marca

While the tone was not appreciated by Rayo fans either, their facilities have been a regular point of complaint for their own support. Presa doubled down on the idea that he wanted to move stadium instead of improving their current one.

“We believe that what we need to do is move to a new field. We have to carry out maintenance work, but we pay a significant fee that doesn’t include renovating the stadium.”