Rayo Vallecano manager Inigo Perez heaped praise on his captain, Oscar Valentin, following their European fixture against Strasbourg. The team secured a 1-0 victory in their final European game of the season at Vallecas, taking a narrow lead into the second leg against Strasbourg next week after a strong second-half performance.
The match was not only about the game itself but also the significant occasion for Rayo Vallecano, with a palpable excitement in the stadium throughout the night. The players even engaged with the fans before the match, with Perez highlighting the unique “social aspect” that distinguishes Rayo from other clubs.
“For me, it’s unrepeatable. These are feelings you’ll cherish for a lifetime,” Perez stated to the press after the game. “You create these memories we’ve been talking about throughout the year, and it’s even harder to repay the debt to the fans. It’s very special, a day that brings a lump to your throat. You’re the coach, and you have to suppress it, push it down into your intestines, but I’m very happy.”
‘You could feel the energy in your bones’ – Inigo Perez
The first half saw a fairly even contest, with Strasbourg finding more opportunities against a somewhat hesitant Rayo side. Perez acknowledged that his team was perhaps too eager from the outset.
“I agree with the analysis. We often have to ignore that excess of emotion,” Perez explained. “We knew it was going to be there; it was palpable. You could feel the energy in your bones. If you think about what might happen, you’re looking to the future, and we forget about the present. I told them that one of the best antidotes is humor, that they shouldn’t overthink things. Seeing people so unrestrained makes you feel like you can’t fail. But we dealt with it during halftime.”
In the second half, the home team created more chances and could have extended their lead for the return leg at La Meinau.
“When a team deserves more, like Rayo, and you win 1-0, we should be lamenting the missed opportunity, but there’s a tendency to forget that we’ve won a European semi-final,” Perez reflected. “The first half demanded seriousness, we were able to talk at halftime, and the second half was extraordinary. It’s only fair and honest to show ourselves some appreciation and value the victory.”
AEK Athens experience will help in Strasbourg
Rayo has a pattern of winning their first legs in the knockout stages before narrowly progressing on aggregate after losing the second leg. Against AEK Athens, Rayo were three goals down and the tie was level on aggregate before Isi Palazon scored the decisive goal. Perez believes this experience will be beneficial in preparing for the second leg against Strasbourg, who themselves overturned a two-goal deficit against Mainz in the previous round.
“It’s useful because we hadn’t experienced it before,” Perez said. “You learn and take note, although I don’t want to say it won’t happen again. They’re coming off a comeback and they know what scenario they want in the second leg. Both scenarios coincide. The result may be meager, but I think a better result would have propelled us towards what happened in Athens.”
‘I’ve never seen anything like it before’ – Perez on Oscar Valentin
It was revealed that captain Oscar Valentin had sustained a fractured cheekbone in the first half of the game but played through the pain. His performance certainly lived up to his surname, which translates to “brave.”
“Oscar’s display of courage deserves recognition. That’s what this team is all about. We must build ourselves on actions like this,” Perez emphasized. “He has a fractured cheekbone, and he tells me he’s perfectly fine. He doesn’t complain or make excuses at all. He tells me again at half-time he’s fine. He plays the second half flawlessly. I’ve never seen anything like it on a football pitch. That’s what this team, this dressing room is.”
Rayo will next face Getafe on Sunday afternoon before their crucial return leg against Strasbourg next Thursday.
