Nadal: 'Alvarez's penalty was the height of bad luck'

In an interview on the Movistar Plus+ program, tennis legend Nadal expressed his regret when witnessing Alvarez's unfortunate situation.

Speaking to Movistar Plus+ , tennis legend Nadal expressed his regret at Alvarez's unfortunate situation. "It was absolute bad luck. I think he touched the ball twice, this seems to be confirmed. As a Real Madrid fan, I celebrate the victory, but I feel really sorry for Julian. He is not only an excellent player but also a very admirable person, I wish him all the best. But sport is sometimes cruel," Nadal shared.

In the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 penalty shootout, Julian Alvarez was adjudged to have touched the ball twice while taking his shot. Although the ball went into the net, the referee, after consulting VAR, deemed it an invalid call, a pivotal decision that led to Atletico's eventual defeat.

Nadal also did not forget to mention the possibility of an "El Clásico" match in the Champions League final. "For Spanish football, it would be a great thing. But as I thought when I was playing, you cannot think about the final when you are in the quarterfinals," Nadal affirmed.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion also praised Barcelona's impressive form this season. "Barcelona are playing great football, they are real candidates for every title. However, Real Madrid never give up and will fight until the end. Things can change at any time," Nadal commented on the fierce race between the two teams.

Nadal also spoke about the other teams competing for the Champions League title. Despite Bayern Munich's consistent form, Nadal does not consider them the number one contender.

"There are teams like Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, but I don't think Barcelona are the biggest candidates. They are a very strong opponent, but Real Madrid are the team with the most history in this arena," Rafa affirmed.

Nadal sympathizes with Julian Alvarez, even though he is a Real Madrid fan.

Regarding tennis, Nadal mentioned the emerging names in the tennis world. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, according to Rafa, are players who can create a dramatic competition like the competition between him, Djokovic and Federer for more than a decade.

“We did it, and I believe the new players will do the same. Alcaraz and Sinner are playing excellently and they will be strong opponents in the future. For many years, we competed fiercely and set high standards, which is what made our careers memorable. Now the new generation will fight to surpass us,” Nadal said of the next generations.