Rayo Vallecano Takes First-Leg Advantage with 1-0 Win Over Strasbourg

On a Thursday night in Madrid, Rayo Vallecano — a club born from the working-class streets of Vallecas — edged closer to something their history has never known: a major European final. A single goal from Alemão against Strasbourg in the UEFA Conference League semifinal first leg was enough to carry them forward, a slender margin that nonetheless speaks volumes about what collective will and tactical discipline can achieve when a team refuses to accept the limits others have assigned to it.