Rayo Vallecano announced this Tuesday that head coach Francisco Rodríguez and his technical staff have been dismissed after three straight defeats and four losses in the last five games, even though the club remains seven points clear of the relegation zone. The decision marks a decisive turning point for the Madrid-based club as it seeks stability after a turbulent run of results and mounting pressure from fans and stakeholders alike.
In a concise official statement, the club thanked Francisco from Madrid for his professionalism and commitment during his time in charge and wished him success in future projects. The announcement did not reveal the identity of the incoming coach, fueling speculation about the direction the team will take in the coming weeks.
Francisco had been brought in last summer to replace Andoni Iraola and had overseen 28 official matches in which the team recorded eight wins, nine draws, and 11 defeats. The results included a rough stretch that featured five losses spread across the first ten league fixtures, a sign of the challenges faced early in his tenure.
Rayo Vallecano’s campaign has been marked by a difficult Spanish cup run as well, with elimination at the hands of Girona in the Copa del Rey round of 16. In the league, the team has managed just one victory in its last 14 La Liga EA Sports matches, a 2-0 win over Getafe on January 2. Since that victory, the team has earned only one point from the following 15 available, a sequence that has intensified scrutiny of the squad’s performance and strategies.
After a recent match, Francisco admitted that the loss felt cruel and unfair and emphasized a focus on turning things around in upcoming fixtures. He highlighted the need to move on quickly, pointing to a late goal by Mallorca as a turning point that proved costly in a match where the team had shown good intent but failed to close out the result. The manager’s comments underscored the emotional toll of a season defined by close games and late setbacks.
The Mallorca match served as a stark example of the team’s vulnerability in the final moments. While Vallecano controlled large portions of the game, a decisive goal in the 91st minute left the squad reflecting on what could have been. The sense of urgency among players and coaching staff was palpable as the team looked to recover quickly from such heartbreaks, recognizing that every late concession compounds the challenge of climbing away from the bottom of the table.
Historically, eight of the ten league defeats for Rayo in this stretch came within the last 12 matches, including losses to Girona, Athletic Club, Osasuna, Valencia, Las Palmas, Atlético de Madrid, Sevilla, and Mallorca. The pattern of late goals and narrow margins added to the perception that small margins were determining the outcome of many games, rather than a lack of effort or tactical intent alone.
Currently, Rayo Vallecano sits in fourteenth place with 24 points, one point ahead of fifteenth-placed Sevilla and two points ahead of Mallorca in sixteenth. They remain four points clear of Celta in seventeenth, and seven points above the relegation threshold, which is currently a line that Cádiz is trying to approach or cross. The upcoming schedule, including a home match against the league leaders Real Madrid at the Vallecas stadium, will be a critical test of the squad’s resilience and the immediate impact of any managerial changes. The club faces a period of intense scrutiny as it attempts to stabilize results and restore momentum in a competitive La Liga season. (Source: Marca)