Despite an official ban from the club, several players from Real Madrid can't resist playing padel. In recent weeks, images of Vinicius Junior playing padel in a club in Alcobendas, close to his home in La Moraleja, have been making the rounds on social networks. Wearing a jersey from his former club, Flamengo, the Brazilian striker was accompanied by Dani Ceballos, his teammate, and showed an admittedly unusual technique, but a very real passion for the sport.

This case obviously reminds us of the great difficulties encountered by its eternal rival, Barcelona, concerning this same “scourge”: padel.

A forbidden practice… but widespread

According to Relief, Real Madrid has officially banned its players from playing certain sports, such as padel, to avoid the risk of injury off the football pitch. This precaution, which applies to players during competition periods, does not seem to dissuade some of them, however. In addition to Vinicius and Ceballos, other players in the squad, such as Dani Carvajal, Brahim Diaz, or Joselu, a former striker of the club now in Qatar, are also fans of padel. Carvajal, injured in the knee, would also have taken advantage of his days of recovery to practice this sport, although his current state of health limits his activities.

Investing in padel: the option chosen by some

Some Madrid players, like Luka Modric et Rodrygo, have even gone a step further by investing in padel clubs. Both have become shareholders of the Las Tablas Sports Club, a sports facility in the capital, which has many facilities, including padel courts. While this participation allows them to support the sport without violating the club's ban, other players do not hesitate to build private courts at home, away from the eyes and control of management.

Padel: a passion shared by the technical staff

The players are not the only ones at Real Madrid who are won over by padel. Several members of the technical staff, including physiotherapists, doctors, and even some directors, also take up this activity to relax after training sessions. They frequent a complex near Valdebebas, the club's training center, where they play freely, without the restrictions imposed on players.

A welcome break after a difficult week

The popularity of padel within Real Madrid has been further strengthened after a particularly turbulent period for the team. Between a heavy defeat against Barça and the disappointment of the Ballon d'Or not awarded to Vinicius, the players took advantage of a few days without competition to release the pressure. Some of them, notably Vinicius, turned to padel to find a little serenity and competitive spirit, before resuming training under the intensive guidance of Carlo Ancelotti.

As Real Madrid prepares to face AC Milan in the Champions League, the question remains: will the club continue to turn a blind eye to its players' forbidden passion for padel, or will it impose stricter measures to ensure the safety of its athletes?

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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