Inigo Perez praises Rayo Vallecano fans after Conference League final defeat to Crystal Palace

Rayo Vallecano manager Inigo Perez walked into his post-match press conference visibly shaken and walked out to a round of applause after his side fell 1-0 to Crystal Palace in the UEFA Conference League final on 28 May 2026. The defeat left the club from the Vallecas neighbourhood of Madrid agonisingly short of their first major European honour.

“These are difficult times for everyone. We just have to get through it however we can,” Perez said, searching for words where few existed. “What breaks you inside is seeing people cry. It absolutely destroys you. You feel that sadness and frustration of defeat, of the explosion of happiness that winning it would have meant, and it leaves you frustrated.”

Despite the result, Rayo’s supporters responded with a banner that read The greatest victory was being with you in defeat, and did their best to lift the players at the final whistle. Perez said that gesture only deepened the emotion in his camp.

“The fans are the driving force behind this team surviving, and behind this dream that we’ve been living in, and they’re the reason that we break down when we went over to them,” he said. “We normally try to be balanced when we win or lose, but in this situation, it’s impossible to remain in one piece.”

Pushed on whether the defeat represented a missed chance to vindicate Rayo’s identity and the spirit of Vallecas, Perez pushed back firmly. “We lost a game of football. We didn’t lose an opportunity to show ourselves. It wasn’t a day to show what we’re about — it was a day to celebrate or to cry. The authentic side of ourselves is in the day-to-day stuff. You can come by the neighbourhood any day you want. That’s where you see what the people are and what Vallecas is made of.”

His pride in the club’s supporters, he insisted, would not fade with the result. “Always. That will be eternal. You don’t have words. At Rayo there is an acceptance of the suffering, and from there we overcome a lot of problems, even if it’s difficult. I’m proud of the players, the fans, the neighbourhood.”

Perez was also gracious toward the victors, acknowledging that Crystal Palace had earned their win — though the full details of his tactical assessment were cut short before he could elaborate on where the game was decided.