Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano halted for medical emergency in final | Football | Sport
Crystal Palace’s UEFA Conference League final with Rayo Vallecano was halted in the first half due to a medical emergency in the crowd. In the 34th minute, the referee informed both sets of players that he would be stopping the game for an incident inside the stadium.
The game was 0-0 at the time when Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla pointed towards the Spanish team’s fans and then sat down on the pitch after alerting official Maurizio Mariani. The ref then pointed to his watch to signal a stoppage before explaining the situation to the captains.
A supporter was later seen being taken out of the stands on a stretcher.
HBO Max commentator Adam Summerton explained: “What we’re hearing is that there has been a medical emergency, sadly, amongst the Rayo Vallecano supporters. Understandable that the game has been paused for the moment here, that information coming across to Inigo Perez and Oliver Glasner.
“Of course Lucy (Ward), these are two clubs where the relationship with the players and fans is felt so keenly, noticed that following Palace this season and the Vallecas region in Madrid, them representing the neighbourhood means so much to the players.”
He then added: “Our best wishes to the supporter affected in that stand, we hope everyone involved is OK.”
BBC Radio 5 Live commentator Paul Robinson further said: “The referee is trying to get this game restarted and the Rayo goalkeeper is flatly refusing.”
The stoppage lasted for approximately four minutes, the same amount that was added on at the end of the 45 minutes, which finished goalless in Leipzig.
Palace came closest to breaking the deadlock on what is Oliver Glasner’s last game in charge, when Tyrick Mitchell’s effort required a smart save from Batalla at the back post following a cross from Adam Wharton.
Ahead of the match, Glasner urged his side to win the match and reclaim their place in the Europa League as a result, having been demoted to the Conference League for breaching UEFA’s multi-club rules.
“They had a nice farewell to me and then I said a few words,” the manager said. “I said for me that the best thing would be of course winning tomorrow because then the players would be in the Europa League next year and then we get what we should have got this year.
“I would like to watch on TV that they start with the desire and the confidence that we can win the Europa League as well. This would make me really happy because then I think we created a mindset all together where at the end it’s always successful.
