Rayo Vallecano reshapes squad for Europa Conference League knockout stage
Rayo Vallecano has updated its squad ahead of the Europa Conference League round of 16. The Spanish side will face one of four possible opponents: KuPS Kuopio, Shkëndija, Lech Poznań, or Samsunspor. Changes include new signings and the removal of two players from the team's official list.
The club has added centre-back Nobel Mendy and winger Ilias Akhomach to its roster. Both players will be available for selection in the upcoming knockout stage. However, recent signing Carlos Martín will not participate in the Conference League.
Rayo has also dropped defender Joshua Vertrouwd and winger Fran Pérez from its squad. The team remains limited to 22 players on List A due to a shortage of homegrown talent. To balance this, five youngsters—Adrián Molina, Marco de las Silas, Sergio Lozano, Samuel Becerra, and Iván Alonso—have been retained on List B.
On the domestic front, Rayo Vallecano continues to play its home matches at Estadio de Vallecas. The venue will host their next league fixture against Real Oviedo on February 7, 2026.
The revised squad now prepares for the Conference League's knockout phase. With two new additions and five young players on standby, the team adjusts to its registration constraints. Their next home game at Estadio de Vallecas will follow shortly after the European tie.
