Carvajal is currently recovering from a knee injury, having last featured in LaLiga at the end of October. As part of his recovery, he used his free days to travel to Qatar, where he visited his former teammate Joselu, who is now working there. At the same time, it is a family visit, as the two footballers are also related. Gharáfa’s attacker is married to Carvajal’s wife’s sister.
That is why the Qatari club gave the Spanish defender a very warm welcome. The president of the club personally presented him with a jersey with his name on it, which later appeared in a photo on the club’s official channels. However, it was this photo that caused a wave of speculation among Real Madrid fans, as the photo was strikingly reminiscent of the traditional presentation of a new signing after transferring to a new club.
While Gharáfa’s other posts have a maximum of hundreds of likes, photos with the captain of Real on the social network Instagram attack the threshold of one hundred thousand interactions.
In reality, it was only a symbolic gesture and a courtesy gift. Carvajal was in Qatar as a guest and watched Gharáfa’s victory over the Syrian team Al Wahda in the Asian Champions League (1:0) from the stands. The club presented his presence more as a social event than as an indication of any sporting cooperation.
Nevertheless, behind the scenes there is increasing talk that the experienced defender is nearing the end of his career in Madrid. According to Spanish media reports, Carvajal is aware that his role in elite European football is winding down and is considering a quieter end to his career away from the limelight.
His contract at Real Madrid, where he has been working for almost twelve years, expires next summer. Only the coming months will show whether he will head abroad after a long and successful stage, extend his stay at the Santiago Bernabéu, or hang up his football boots.
