The Ray is already back. The goals of Álvaro and Trejo certified their return to Primera, two seasons later and for the eighth time in their history. This has been, without a doubt, the most unexpected rise of the Strip, since it came after an epic comeback – the eighth in the league – against Girona, having one less player after Velázquez was sent off, and reaching the playoff in an accident, with their own defeat against Lugo and thanks to that of Sporting. Iraola's team was cinderella of the promotion, that rival that everyone looked weaker. But that was on paper because on the green he prevailed in his two contests against Leganés (3-0 and 1-2) and managed to lift the 1-2 in Montilivi of the going.
Girona fell again in the playoff final, a year later, at the hands of the sixth. Then, his executioner was the Elche who — irony of fate— he had taken that place after scoring one more point than Paco Jémez's Rayo. Both, Catalans and Madrid, stayed at the doors of the dream and, this time, they ended up seeing each other's faces to fulfill it. What's more, their paths ran parallel from before, since the two went down to Second the same 18-19.
The Ray thus culminates a path full of ups and downs, in which above he could not count on the encouragement of his people in Vallecas until promotion. The team started the season strong, taking the lead of the silver category 840 days later, on the second day. If on that occasion they reached heaven, Hell they touched it on matchday twelfth when they plummeted to tenth place. During this 20-21, the franjirrojos have occupied the fourth position six times; the fifth, two and the sixth, 21, exactly half the course. Precisely, in that position, they remained for five months without interruption.
Until, between the months of April and May, those of Iraola chained five games without winning —Three draws (Logroñés, Albacete and Leganés) and two defeats (Mirandés and Sabadell) – and doubts loomed over Vallecas more than ever. The results did not arrive and neither did the game convince. In fact, the continuity of the technician was in question.. Finally, the Basque remained on the bench and the team pulled up. Since then, Rayo has added five wins in the last seven games, which has led him straight to glory.