Rayo prepare to take on Palace in their first European final

The Spanish club have reached the Conference League final in Leipzig in their first European season since 2000-01.

This week will be a historic one for Rayo Vallecano, the Spanish club who have reached the 2025-26 Conference League final in Leipzig, where they’ll take on English side Crystal Palace. This is just the second-ever European campaign for the modest club from the neighbourhood of Vallecas in Madrid, and they’ve gone all the way to the showpiece event.

The team nicknamed Los Franjirrojos, after the iconic red sashes on their kit, previously competed in the 2000-01 UEFA Cup and reached the quarterfinals of that tournament, where they lost to fellow Spanish side Deportivo Alavés. This time around, they’ve gone all the way to the final in their first continental campaign in two and a half decades.

The Conference League started back in August for Rayo Vallecano, when they overcame Belarusian side Neman Grodno for a spot in the league phase. They proceeded to finish fifth in the league standings before they then overcame Samsunspor, AEK Athens and Strasbourg in the knockout rounds.

Historically, Rayo Vallecano have been more concerned with just staying in LaLiga EA SPORTS. They still have one of the lower budgets in the competition, yet their squad of warriors has competed so well domestically and continentally this season. Led by Iñigo Pérez, who was previously assistant to the team’s ex-coach Andoni Iraola, Rayo Vallecano have reached a European final and inspired an entire neighbourhood.

“This is for the whole neighbourhood, for those who believed in us,” striker Sergio Camello said after the semifinal second leg against Strasbourg, after Rayo Vallecano won 2-0 on aggregate. “People were on the streets of Vallecas watching this game and celebrating. It gives you goosebumps.”

European silverware on the line as Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano slug things out for the UEFA Conference League title 🏆#SSUECL #UECL pic.twitter.com/d12JoXGX8t — SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) May 27, 2026

So many fans will be on the streets of Vallecas watching the final, while thousands more are travelling to Germany to take in the game in person. As coach Iñigo Pérez stated ahead of the final: “Those who support Rayo Vallecano will be with us in Leipzig and I hope we can win the title. We’ll enjoy what lies ahead.”

ENTERING THE FINAL IN GOOD FORM

Rayo Vallecano had hoped to secure a second consecutive European qualification in matchday 38 of LaLiga EA SPORTS, the final weekend of the Spanish domestic season. Despite defeating Deportivo Alavés 2-1 on the road, Los Franjirrojos ended up in eighth place, just one point behind seventh-placed Getafe CF, who claimed the final European spot.

If they win the final against Crystal Palace, though, Rayo Vallecano will qualify for next season’s Europa League and there would be nine Spanish clubs in European competition in 2026/27 in that scenario.

More than the European qualification implications, Rayo Vallecano supporters simply want to win on Wednesday to enjoy the feeling of lifting a trophy. This is a club that has never won a major trophy, and they’ve only won LaLiga HYPERMOTION, Spanish football’s second division, one time in their history.

⚡ ¡¡¡SÍ SE PUEDE!!! ⚡#ElSueñoFinal pic.twitter.com/kj1SDdqFvM — Rayo Vallecano (@RayoVallecano) May 26, 2026

It’s clear that Crystal Palace will be a difficult team to defeat, but there is some reason to be optimistic for Rayo Vallecano fans. They finished five spots ahead of the English side during the league phase of this competition.

Plus, Iñigo Pérez’s side are undefeated in nine matches. They won both legs of their Conference League semifinal against Strasbourg, and also achieved four wins and three draws from their final seven LaLiga EA SPORTS fixtures of the season. This is a squad that is clicking, and that is dreaming of bringing a European trophy back to Vallecas for the first time.