The Foro Italico crowd will be treated to one of the most anticipated duels of the season. Having secured their place in the BNL Italy Major semi-finals,  Ale Galán  et  Juan Lebrón  will once again face each other in a match full of history and stakes.

Since the draw, this potential confrontation has been on everyone's mind. The two former partners have risen to the occasion and will battle for a place in the final this Saturday in Rome.

Two different paths to the semi-finals

Associated to  Federico Chingotto Galán left little hope for  Pol Hernandez  et  Guille Collado Pair number 2 dominated their quarter-final from start to finish, winning in two straight sets:  6 / 3 6 / 1 .

On the other side of the picture,  Juan Lebrón  et  Leo Augsburg  had to fight harder against  Coki Nieto  et  Jon sanz After a solid first set, they had to wait for a tie-break in the second set to close out their match with a score of  6 / 4 7 / 6 .

Italy Major – The clash everyone was waiting for: Galán faces Lebrón in the semi-finals

A rivalry that marks the recent history of padel

This semi-final will have a special flavor. The two Spaniards have long formed one of the most dominant partnerships in the history of padel, notably winning the first Major organized in Rome in 2022.

Since their split, head-to-head matches have largely gone in Galán's favor. The Madrid player currently leads  11 wins to 2  facing his former partner. The two men had already faced each other in Italy after their breakup, during a tournament in Genoa, where Galán emerged victorious.

Winner of  Brussels P2  Along with Leo Augsburger, Lebrón is one of the few players to have interrupted the dominance exerted for more than two years by the two best teams on the circuit:  Coello / Tapia  et  Chingotto / Galan .

The Andalusian player believes his new association is gradually gaining stability:

“Since our victory in Brussels, expectations have increased. With each tournament, we are more consistent. We know exactly what we need to do: keep working to win.”

Galán-Chingotto still lead the season

With  five titles won in eight tournaments in 2026 Galán and Chingotto have had the most consistent season on the circuit so far. This momentum has allowed them to take the lead in the Race.

Despite this favorable position, Galán remains cautious before facing his former teammate. It will be a unique confrontation, both on a sporting and emotional level.

Beyond the sporting stakes, this semi-final symbolizes one of the great sagas of modern padel. Two former world number ones, two strong personalities, and a shared history that continues to fuel every encounter.

Juan Lebrón is not mistaken:

"It will be a very intense battle. It's the match everyone wants to see."

The Foro Italico is thus preparing to host a new episode in a rivalry that has become essential on the circuit. Premier PadelBetween the season leader and the man trying to return to the top, all the ingredients are there for a very high-level clash.

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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