Rayo Vallecano manager Inigo Perez will leave the club this summer, President Raul Martin Presa has confirmed. The announcement comes after Rayo’s 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the Europa Conference League final in Leipzig, and marks the end of Perez’s two-and-a-half-year tenure in Vallecas.
Perez guided Rayo to successive eighth-place finishes in La Liga and, notably, their first ever European final. He was visibly emotional following the loss to Crystal Palace, declining to comment on his future immediately after the match, stating it was ‘not the right moment’. However, reports from Diario AS surfaced shortly after, indicating his departure was imminent.
Speaking to Marca after the final, President Presa confirmed Perez would be moving on. “I’m not sure who will coach the team next year,” Presa stated. “He’s a great coach and a good person, but I would have liked him to stay for life, and I told him so. I wanted a project similar to Simeone’s at Atletico Madrid, but the club and the badge come before everyone and decisions have to be made.”
Sporting Director David Cobeno had previously acknowledged the difficulty of retaining Perez, noting that while the club hadn’t actively sought a replacement, his departure was a realistic possibility. Multiple sources have linked Perez with a move to Villarreal, with an agreement reportedly in place for several weeks. This appointment would represent a significant step up for Perez, moving him to a club consistently competing in European competitions.
The move to Villarreal would see Perez immediately enter the Champions League, having established himself as a promising manager during his time at Rayo Vallecano. He took over a Rayo side that was battling relegation and quickly transformed them into a competitive force in the Spanish top flight. His success in guiding Rayo to a European final has further enhanced his reputation, making him an attractive candidate for Villarreal, who are seeking a new manager following the departure of Marcelino.
