Before Thursday’s clash between Rayo Vallecano and Lech Poznań in the UEFA Europa Conference League, emotions reached boiling point. Social media erupted after Lech’s official profile posted an ironic video showing the away dressing room at Estadio de Vallecas. Rayo responded both on the pitch and online.

The video that added fuel to the fire

The clip, meant to be humorous but clearly critical, quickly went viral. It shows a member of Lech Poznań’s staff giving a mock tour of the facilities, making sarcastic comments about the conditions: furniture from the 1980s, plastic chairs from a birthday party forty years ago, and primitive facilities lacking basic hygiene standards.

The video highlights rusty showers, a dark massage room without light, and mismatched towels. It begins with a shot of a padlock on the door and a keychain with the face of an unknown man. It all looks like something from another era, the narrator jokes.

Tweet Lech Poznań https://x.com/LechPoznan/status/1986125879198503321

— Lech Poznań (@LechPoznan) June 11, 2025

Harsh response from Rayo Vallecano president

What was meant as light-hearted satire was received in Spain as offensive and unprofessional. After Rayo’s victory, club president Raúl Martín Presa condemned the video in an interview with Movistar: This video is vile and disgraceful. In life, not just in football, there is nothing worse than laughing at someone’s poverty or modesty.

Presa stressed that while the Estadio de Vallecas may not be the most modern, it meets all UEFA standards, and stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have used its dressing rooms. None of them ever complained. No Lech Poznań player has their sporting class, he added pointedly.

He also reminded that Enea Stadium in Poznań was built with public funding. We’ve received nothing. We want to build a new stadium, but on our own. Those are the facts, he concluded.

Hooligan clashes — Vallecas on fire

Hours before the match, violent clashes broke out in the Vallecas district. Hundreds of Rayo ultras (Bukaneros) and Lech Poznań hooligans engaged in running street battles. Spanish media estimate that around 400 people were involved, throwing stones, bottles, chairs, and flares. Police used warning shots; at least one person was arrested and one injured.

The fighting occurred near the Buenos Aires metro station, just a few hundred meters from the stadium. Police later confirmed the brawl was the result of an organized meeting (quedada) arranged through messaging apps and online forums.

According to police sources, tensions were fuelled by provocations on social media, including Lech’s video and earlier antics by Polish street artist Kawu, known for sneaking into rival stadiums to paint graffiti featuring Lech’s goat symbol.

Tweet Ultras Present https://x.com/ultraspresent/status/1986200986281451542

— Ultras Present (@UltrasPresent) June 11, 2025

Clash of ideologies and security on edge

The confrontation also had an ideological dimension. The Bukaneros are a left-wing, anti-racist, and anti-fascist group, while some of Lech’s ultras (such as Terror Machine and Kolejorz Hooligans) are linked to the far right. For that reason, Spain’s Anti-Violence Commission classified the match as high risk.

About 1,000 Lech fans traveled to Madrid, many without tickets. Authorities deployed 400 police officers, backed by mounted units and anti-terror squads.

In an official statement, Rayo Vallecano appealed for calm: We ask our supporters to behave responsibly. The best response to provocation is calm, respect, and support for our team. Despite the appeal, violence erupted. For several hours, Vallecas resembled a war zone — burning bins, broken windows, and Lech graffiti covered the streets in what Spanish media later described as a batalla campal — a street battle.