Beñat San José frustrated after Rayo Vallecano draw with Getafe

“We’re leaving frustrated because we did everything to win against ten men,” Beñat San José said after Rayo Vallecano drew with Getafe. The coach acknowledged that his team had taken a point, but also felt that two had slipped away.

The sides finished 1-1 at the Coliseum on Monday. Álvaro García put the visitors ahead in the first half, before Martín Satriano equalised for Getafe after the break. Getafe played for more than sixty minutes with ten men following Djené Dakonam’s dismissal.

San José described Rayo’s first half as “extraordinary”. In his view, the sending-off also reflected the pressure his side had applied: Djené, he said, had to go “to the limit”, which was what Rayo wanted to force its opponents to do. The coach nevertheless praised Getafe’s ability to defend while down to ten and to keep the ball.

“They scored from their speciality, with the ball taking a touch off one of our players,” he said, adding that Getafe had created few other chances. San José also said Rayo had made changes to avoid ending the match with ten players, as some of his team were on cards. He prefers open games, he explained; when a match becomes tight, Getafe give away few chances.

Rayo still had opportunities until the final whistle but did not take them. San José called the result “bittersweet”: an away point is always important, he conceded, but that did not remove the disappointment of failing to win against a side reduced to ten. He also noted that Getafe are among the teams that concede the fewest chances.

The point takes Rayo to nine after nine matchdays. The team remain two points above the relegation zone and five short of the European places. San José ultimately gave a positive assessment of a start to the season he described as very difficult, while accepting that improvements are needed. He cited a challenging schedule, away matches played while considered the home side, and a month without competition, before stressing that his team still had room to improve.