Beñat San José: “Real is my home”

“Real is my home; it shaped me as a player and as a coach,” Beñat San José said after facing the club to which he remains deeply attached. The Rayo Vallecano coach experienced a special day, marked both by the reunion and by frustration at the result.

San José said his tribute was also a way of expressing gratitude to Real. He praised the work being done at the club and congratulated its members on the victory. In his view, Real had grown through outstanding youth development and the contribution of players from outside the academy. He added that his family was there and that he did not want to hide how emotional the return had been.

The sporting disappointment was just as strong. “We are very upset, in a lot of pain,” he said, arguing that Rayo did not deserve to lose and merited at least a draw. He described the first half as evenly matched, with his team creating good opportunities. San José also pointed to clear chances, outstanding saves by Real’s goalkeeper and a ball that struck the post. Conceding when Rayo felt it was playing better made the defeat especially hard to accept.

The coach also praised the Rayo supporters who had travelled to the match. However, he regretted the barrier in their section, saying it made them harder to hear and limited the energy they could give the team. He also applauded both sets of fans, noting the good relationship between Rayo and Real supporters in San Sebastián.

The return to Anoeta was particularly meaningful for San José, who was facing Real for the first time, Mundo Deportivo reported. The coach also acknowledged that his team needed to keep working on the final pass and finishing. Finally, he said Jozhua’s substitution after just 10 minutes had been forced by a physical problem: the player had asked to come off after being left stuck in a challenge. San José was waiting for more details from the doctor.