Why was Rayo Vallecano vs Athletic Bilbao La Liga match abandoned?

The match was first paused in the 13th minute, while it was abandoned after chaos ensued when the game resumed 15 minutes later. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Tensions erupted in Madrid during the La Liga match between Rayo Vallecano and Athletic Club Bilbao, after the match was temporarily stopped and ultimately suspended on Saturday.

By the 13th minute —‌ when Rayo ultras usually chant the song “Presa leave already” — hundreds of fans launched paper planes and small rubber balls on to the pitch, prompting the referee to suspend ‌play.

A 15-minute pause ensued, during which the ​stadium’s speaker urged spectators not to throw objects on to ⁠the field as staff hastily removed them.

When ⁠play resumed a little later, fans in the south stand ‌again hurled objects on to the grass and the referee abandoned ​the game.

“The match is definitely suspended by the referee’s decision at the police’s recommendation,” Rayo said in a statement.

The game ‌was the first of this league season played at the ‌Estadio de Vallecas, which was ‌temporarily ⁠closed after an audit found ⁠serious safety issues. Rayo fans blame negligence by club owner Raul Martin Presa, who in ​turn accused ‌regional authorities of deliberately targeting his club.

After the first three home games were moved to the stadium of ‌second division Leganes, registering some ​of La Liga’s lowest-ever attendance figures, home fans started chanting, ⁠jeering and whistling against Presa before kickoff on Saturday.