Four years of partnership, three seasons at the top of world padel... and a separation marked by silence, injuries and unspoken words.  Juan Lebrón spoke at length, for the first time, about his break-up with Alejandro Galán in a lengthy interview given to The SnackA poignant, unfiltered testimony.

"From a sporting perspective, I owe him a lot. From a human perspective, it's another story."

Juan Lebrón and Alejandro Galán dominated the padel world from 2020 to 2022, winning titles with an aggressive and spectacular style. But behind the victories, the personal relationship between the two Spaniards slowly deteriorated.

“It was an incredible three years from a sporting perspective. I am very grateful to Galán for everything he gave me…  sportily  " insists Lebrón. "But  personally , I'm a little hurt. We could have done things in a more adult way."

The Andalusian player admits to having been a demanding teammate:

"Yes, I was hard on my teammates. Too demanding sometimes. But it was always about progressing together."

The hurt, the silence, and the loneliness

Everything changed in 2023. Juan Lebrón suffered a long and painful injury: four and a half months without being able to hold a racket.

“I couldn't even hold the pala. It was a nightmare. I waited for even a 'How are you?' from Ale.  Nothing . Not a message. Not a call.

A silent abandonment that he still can't digest:

“We played together for four years. We shared everything. And when I was at my lowest,  he wasn't there  »

"He left me over the phone."

The final separation will take place after Roland-Garros 2023.

“He called me. Three minutes. And that was it. The next day, five minutes on the phone. That’s it.”  Not a real explanation.  »

For Lebrón, the discomfort had set in long before.

"In 2022, we won 14 tournaments. But the relationship was already dead. We no longer communicated. He was elsewhere, involved in the players' association, often distant."

“He once said to me, 'We're friends.' And I replied, 'For me,  ami , that's a very strong word.' I regret it today.

The World Cup Affair: An Unrecognized Outstretched Hand

At the World Championship, Lebrón takes a step towards reconciliation... with no turning back.

"I was the one who went to tell him that we had to play the final together. He wasn't expecting it. I wanted the Spanish team to be united. We played well. But afterwards, in an interview, he said it was a staff decision.  It's wrong.  »

“That day, I even passed him a slice of pizza, and his teammates applauded. There was a great atmosphere. But once again,  he didn't recognize the gesture  »

Controversies, criticism, and the “Qatar affair”

Added to these personal tensions is a sequence that has gone viral: Lebrón's attitude in Qatar, which was violently criticized.

“I saw the footage. Two or three times.  Unacceptable.  It wasn't me. I was at my wit's end."

He speaks of a hostile media environment:

"They didn't want me to be number one. There was a relentless drive. They highlighted every move I made, every mistake I made."

"People said I was a bad person, that I was hurting padel... but I kept going. I wanted to be number one."

No return possible?

When asked if a return with Galán is possible, the answer is direct:

“No. It won’t happen. And even if it did… I don’t know if I’d want it to.”

Lebrón admits, however, that a real discussion never took place:

"We never spoke frankly. There was pride. On both sides. But I would have preferred him to tell me things face to face. We were both in Madrid."  He could have come.  »

"What I'm telling you here is my truth. And I don't think anyone knew it."

To watch the video in Spanish:

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.

On the same subject

Tags