The counter -candidate talks about the competition with Andrei Rațiu: “I understand his frustration”
Article by Aurelian Botezatu – published on Friday, August 15, 2025, 09:22 / Updated on Friday, August 15, 2025 09:25
Andrei Rațiu (27 years old) took his face Ivan Balliu (33 years old) at the beginning of last season, when he became undeniable holder on the right defender post at Rayo Vallecano.
While Andrei Rațiu dreams of the next step in his career, a transfer to a top club, Ivan Balliu is very happy at Rayo Vallecano. He has just extended his contract until 2027, and is just waiting to evolve into Conference League.
Andrei Rațiu is unhappy with what happened this summer at Rayo // Photo: Imago Images
Ivan Balliu claims that he has a “very healthy” competition with Andrei Rațiu
Asked by the reporters of the daily Marca about the competition as a right -handed defender with Andrei Rațiu, the Albanian defender said that it is a “very healthy”. He was just preferred to the Romanian in the first eleven, in the last friendly before the debut in the new championship edition.
At the same time, Balliu claims that he understands Rațiu's frustration, when the club receives offers for him, but refuses to let him go. The Romanian and his businessman are in conflict with Rayo's leadership, after refusing to let him go to Aston Villa.
Scandal Andrei Rațiu – Rayo because of an offer from Aston Villa
According to the brand, the English would have proposed 18 million euros in exchange for the player, but the club insisted on the payment of the clause of 25 million in its contract. The decision aroused irritation within the business agency that represents it.
Direct sources involved in negotiations told Radio Marc and the brand that the impresario Hector Peris adopted “very violent attitudes” during telephone conversations with Rayo Vallecano's president, stirring “strong threats”, going even to “want what is worse”.
The members of the club's sports management were also forced to endure “attitudes of bats” and witness to “very unpleasant episodes”, to the point where he threatened to “take the player from Rayo Vallecano, even if it was the last thing he would do”.
Andrei Rațiu is among the worst paid players in Rayo Vallecano's lot
Rațiu is angry with the bosses and because, “Although he considers him as one of the best right-wing defenders in Europe, I even think he has not reached his entire potential, he is one of the worst paid players.
After the European Championship in Germany, Rayo Vallecano promised Andrei a salary enlargement that never came. The discussions took place at the beginning of the season and nothing was materialized ”.
