After dominating the world padel scene alongside Alejandro Galán, Juan Lebrón reflects on the end of that sporting relationship, the unresolved personal tensions, and the regrets he still carries today. He also discusses his future, his ambitions, and what he expects—perhaps in vain—from a former friend turned rival. 

Galán: return of the flame, last attempt

While their separation seemed final,  Juan Lebrón and Alejandro Galán  meet again briefly at the end of 2023. The goal: save the season, rediscover a little magic... and why not give themselves a second chance.

“We called each other. He told me he wanted to play again. I said yes, without hesitation.”

However, despite the reunion on the field, the  personal fracture remains intact .

"I felt he was still cold. Distant. He told me, 'I just want to win.'"

Lebrón tries to rekindle the bond. He talks, opens up, even evokes their shared memories.

"I said to him, 'Do you remember when we started? When we trained in Madrid? We were kids...' But he didn't react. Nothing."

The silence that hurts

As the tournaments progressed, the unease persisted. And the Andalusian understood that  the bonds will not re-establish themselves .

"I wasn't asking for much. Not friendship at any cost. Just for him to say, 'Thank you for everything we've been through.' A little recognition."

This silence, this absence of reciprocal gaze, seems to haunt Lebrón.

"I wish he had told me, 'Juan, I know you always gave your all.' Even if we didn't agree on everything."

He states it several times: what he regrets most,  It is not a sporting break, but a human one. .

"I'm a sensitive boy, and I don't think he ever understood that."

The mistake of silence, on both sides

In a rare moment of introspection, Lebrón also admits his share of responsibility. He acknowledges that he did not  never really spoke heart to heart with Galán .

"I never told him how I felt. I thought he'd figure it out on his own. But we were both wrong."

He even raises the idea of a late discussion, which never took place.

“I should have grabbed him one day and said, 'Come on, let's talk, just the two of us.' But I let it slide.”

"We won everything. But we didn't know how to talk to each other. Isn't that crazy?"

The future: winning without hate, but with pride

Today, Juan Lebrón evolves with  Franco Stupaczuk , in a new sports project. But its objective remains unchanged:  return to the top .

“I still have things to prove. To myself, especially.”

He assures that he does not hold any grudges.

"I don't hate Galán. I don't envy him. I just want him to be happy. But I want him to know that I wish we had parted differently."

He also emphasizes his desire to show another image of himself, calmer, more poised.

“I've been made out to be a bad boy. But I want people to see that I'm something else. I'm a simple guy. Sensitive. Who loves his family.”

“I play padel, that’s all. And I’m lucky to be able to do what I love.”

An end of cycle… but no heart

If he had to sum up what he still expects from Galán today, Juan Lebrón would not mention a trophy or revenge. Just  a word. A gesture. 

"I want him to say to me, 'Thank you, Juan.' Because I thank him. For everything."

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.

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