Galán and Lebrón's coach after the controversy: ”People's reaction has been very harsh”

Alejandro Galan and Juan Lebron's coach, Mariano Amat, talked about the couple's complicated start to the season in an interview with the Spanish media La Chiquita.
— We are paying the price for last season, said the Argentinean.

Juan Lebrón and Alejandro Galán, the number one couple in the world ranking, have not started this 2023 in the best way.

After two months of competition, the Spaniards haven't lifted a title and have already missed a couple of tournaments due to injuries and being involved in some controversies.

Argentine Mariano Amat, who coaches the number one from the bench, spoke about this complicated start to the season for the duo.

— Last season, we played more than 100 matches. So many finals, all tournaments except one. You play more than the rest, from Tuesday or Wednesday to Sunday without rest... This has a price. We are paying the price of last season, he says to La Chiquita.

After missing the La Rioja Open due to physical discomfort and having to withdraw from the Paraguay Open, Lebron and Galan are also out for the tournament in Granada, as both players are injured. The duo will return only for the next tournament in Brussels.

— Ale had a fibrillar rupture in his biceps femoris. Juan is coming out of the injury and has not been able to play yet... In principle, they will both be back in 2-3 weeks. We will try to be in Brussels. It depends on the evolution.

The final of the Chile Open

In addition to the physical problems, the Spaniards were involved in a controversial final at the WPT Chile Open after a refereeing scandal. Amat, who observed the situation from the bench, failed to understand exactly what had happened at the time of the controversy.

— At the time, I didn't know what had happened until I was told that the referee had called the point out. Now I would probably have acted differently, but at that moment, I understood that it was the referee's decision and that the game had to continue.

After Galán decided to claim the referee's decision and continue playing the point, the world's number one team received much criticism.

"We were condemned."

The coach believes that everything was magnified and insists that there was no bad intention on the part of the players and that the criticism received was from a lack of respect.

— The reaction of the people has been very harsh. Now everyone makes value judgments and condemns you without being able to argue anything. In that sense, we were condemned. It was not intentional. The decision may be wrong, but there was no interest in taking advantage of it.

He added:

— Galán received a lot of criticism, and they are dirtying you for a value issue when the people who make the judgment do it from the insult. I can't understand it. Social networks allow anyone to give their opinion based on disrespect.