Chaos engulfed Rayo Vallecano's clash with Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league, with home supporters forcing the match to be stopped several times by hurling paper planes and other objects onto the pitch. Their fury was aimed at owner and president Raul Martin Presa and the way he runs the club.
The first stoppage came in the 13th minute, when fans threw objects onto the pitch and Rayo's players headed for the touchline. By the 20th minute, the in-stadium announcer was warning supporters that the game could be abandoned for good if the protests carried on.
Play resumed in the 24th minute, only to be halted again amid angry chants against Presa. Rayo pair Oscar Valentin and Isi Palazon were seen talking with members of the Bukaneros group, one of the ultras factions that back the team.
Back out came the players to warm up, ready to restart after a break of around 10 minutes. Seconds later, a fresh barrage of objects stopped them again.
The referee went to speak with the police, the two coaches and other officials, then sent the players off the pitch as Athletic Bilbao's squad applauded their fans.
Rayo Vallecano confirmed on their official account on the platform "X" that the referee had definitively called the match off on police advice, ending it in scenes of chaos and protest in the Vallecas stands.
Minutes after the suspension, La Liga issued a statement which read: "La Liga strongly condemns this behaviour, which endangers safety and obstructs the normal running of the competition. The new date for the match will be announced soon."
These protests marred Rayo Vallecano's first home league match of the season. The team had been forced to play their previous games in Leganes after their stadium in the Vallecas district of Madrid was shut over safety concerns and its deteriorating condition.
Most of Rayo's fans boycotted the matches staged in Leganes in protest at the crisis around the stadium. They have also ramped up their demands for Presa to go, daubing the phrase "Presa, leave now" on the walls around the presidential box during a friendly last week.
Mariano de Paco, the sports minister of the Madrid region, appealed for calm before the match. He insisted on social media that Rayo would get the stadium they deserve, hoping to defuse the mood ahead of a game that spiralled into chaos and ended with play called off for good.