"The height of bad luck" - Tennis legend Rafael Nadal weighs in on Julian Alvarez penalty controversy in UEFA Champions League loss to Real Madrid

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal believes Julian Alvarez's penalty incident against Real Madrid was unfortunate. The Argentinean was part of the Atletico Madrid team that lost 4-2 to Los Blancos, via penalties, in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

However, the game wasn't without controversy. When both sides failed to find a winner inside 120 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 12, the game went to penalties.

Alvarez scored from the spot, only for his goal to be chalked out by VAR as he was deemed to have touched the ball twice. It became a turning point in the game, with Real Madrid going on to secure a win.

Speaking on the matter, as cited by SPORT, Nadal said that he celebrated the win as a fan but felt sorry for Julian Alvarez.

“I think he hit the ball twice; this is what has been demonstrated. But for me, Julian Alvarez was the height of bad luck. As a Madridista, I celebrated the victory but it felt really bad to me,” said Nadal.

Real Madrid will face Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League next month, with the first leg set to take place at the Emirates Stadium on April 8.

Carlo Ancelotti's team finished 11th in the league stages of the tournament this season, before securing passage to the knockouts by defeating Manchester City in the playoffs.

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Are Real Madrid close to signing a Premier League ace?

Carlo Ancelotti

Real Madrid are close to securing the services of Trent Alexander-Arnold this summer. According to Caught Offside, the English right-back has turned down Liverpool's latest renewal offer.

Interestingly, Alexander-Arnold's contract at Anfield expires at the end of this season. As things stand, he will be available as a free agent this summer.

Recent reports have suggested that Los Blancos have already reached an agreement with the 26-year-old regarding a Bosman move this year. The deal is apparently 99% done and only a formal announcement is pending.

Real Madrid have identified Trent Alexander-Arnold as the ideal replacement for Dani Carvajal, who is sidelined with an ACL injury. The Spaniard is already 33 years old and the Englishman could be his successor.

Barcelona and Bayern Munich apparently reportedly had their sights set on Alexander-Arnold as well. However, it appears that Los Blancos will win the race for the English full-back.

Alexander-Arnold's proposed arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu, however, could mark the end of Lucas Vazquez's stay in the Spanish capital. The Spaniard's contract expires this summer.