Two Headers Defeat the New Rayo under Beñat San José

On July 17, 2026, Rayo Vallecano's new project, managed by Beñat San José, began with a loss, suffering a 2-1 defeat against Heart of Midlothian, marked by two headers from Ba-Sy. The Scots, who were the runners-up in the Scottish league, showcased better conditioning and had more scoring opportunities during the first half of the match. Following last season's Conference League final and the departure of Íñigo Pérez to Villarreal, a new era initiated for the franjirrojo team.

The first significant opportunity fell to Rayo Vallecano, as Ettiene Eto'o’s shot was saved spectacularly by goalkeeper Schwolow. However, the remainder of the first half was dominated by Hearts, who, after about 15 minutes and a couple of prior attempts, found the net. A cross from McPake was headed in by Sa-By, making it 1-0. Ba-Sy extended their lead with another strong header from a lateral cross, putting the score at 2-0. Kamson-Kamara even hit the crossbar before halftime, and Braga could have further increased the deficit with a chance shortly after the break.

The initial lineup comprised Dani Cárdenas; Ivan Balliu, De las Sías, Pelayo, Jozhua; Becerra, Román, Pedro Díaz, Etienne Eto'o; Isi and Alemao. They were replaced by a second unit, featuring Batalla; Andrei Ratiu, Lejeune, Lozano, Pep Chavarría; Óscar Valentín, Unai López; De Frutos, Camello, Fran Pérez; and Nteka.

Camello responded with a goal at the hour mark, skillfully controlling a ball at the edge of the area and firing a left-footed shot, which deflected off a defender, creating an unstoppable arc over Schwolow, who was unable to reach it despite his immediate reaction. However, this goal did not boost Rayo's chances for an equalizer, as they later breathed a sigh of relief when the referee ruled out Hearts' potential third goal for offside. The Vallecanos are in need of more training, physical fitness, and freshness, which is essential as they prepare during this preseason period. The competitive season is set to commence in a month, allowing them ample time to improve.

Match Information
Heart of Midlothian: Schwolow (Fulton, m. 62); Borchgrevink (Miller, m. 62), Kamson-Kamara (Fagan Walcott, m. 62), Findlay (McCart, m. 62), Kingsley (Kabore, m. 62); Kerjota, Mcentee (Mato, m. 46 (Spittal, m. 77)), Renaud (Guendouz, m. 46), McPake (Magnusson, m. 46); Braga (Altena, m. 62) and Ba-Sy (Dhanda, m. 46 (Kyziridis, m. 77)).
Rayo Vallecano: Cárdenas (Batalla, m. 46); Balliu (Ratiu, m. 46), De las Sías (Lejeune, m. 46), Pelayo (Lozano, m. 46), Jozhua (Pep Chavarría, m. 46); Becerra (De Frutos, m. 46), M. Román (Óscar Valentín, m. 46), Pedro Díaz (Unai López, m. 46), Eto'o (Fran Pérez, m. 46); Isi (Camello, m. 46); and Alemao (Nteka, m. 46).
Goals: 1-0, m. 18: Ba-Sy; 2-0, m. 34: Ba-Sy; 2-1, m. 60: Camello.
Stadium: Friendly match held at Tynecastle Stadium in Edinburgh, with around 16,000 spectators.