Looks like 2025 will be peak Rayo.

Last season’s eighth place brought them European experience in the shape of Conference League, er, glory.

And a visit from North Macedonia hotshots Shkendija, who hail from Tetovo in the east, near the border with Kosovo.

Rayo have embraced this millennium’s football zeitgeist and are an entertaining watch most matches.

But getting a ticket is a rigmarole straightout of the last millennium.

A 90-minute queue at the ground where two chirpy ladies run the ticket office. This was the queue.

On the pitch, Rayo came closer to upsetting Atletico Madrid than Real did in late September. Rayo lost 3-2, Real were stuffed 5-2 on Sunday, a result that reverberated round the world. So Rayo, obviously, are better than Real. As everyone knows.

Read the hair-raising wikipedia stuff on Shkendija fans and you wonder whether they might start World War Three.

The scene was set for a high-profile, police-in-combat-kits plus guns confrontation.

Although they lost to Haverfordwest two years ago and I heard of no aggro there.

The visitors’ support is largely Albanian, with a reputation.

But it all went swimmingly as the visit of the 200, watched intently by the rozzers, passed off peacefully.

It’s always party time at Vallecas once the queueing is over. Maybe the queueing helps create it.

Shkendija fielded the current Gambian goalie Baboucarr Gaye, who has 19 caps, and the marvellously surnamed Albanian Klisman Cake at centre half.

Many squad players identify as Albanian rather than North Macedonian. None featured in the match against Wales in March.

As for the game- Keeper Batalla set off the first goal with an easy ball to a centre half. Two passes later and a cross from the left, and Unai Lopez’s first-time shot made it 1-0 after 28.

Four minutes later an almost identical goal was by netted by right winger Inigo Perez.

And that was just about so far as a competitive match was concerned.

Frankly, a rather tepid second half was only brightened up by the appearance of Jorge de Frutos, who earned his first Spain cap last month, and who looked a cut above.

Shkendija managed a first shot on goal after 83 minutes, which just about said it all. For Rayo, it was an easy breeze of a game.

Nearly 9,000 fans turned up. A rare chance to sample the fondo behind the goal was slightly frustrating as the MC for the end should’ve put a sock in it every so often.

And the post-match tribute/lecture/hommage – now a feature if every hone game – dragged on.

This was the best bit: the players dancing.

Next up: Swedish side Hacken over there on October 23.