Watch: Rafael Nadal visits Stade de France to watch Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool

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Rafael Nadal (right) was at the Stade de France to watch Real Madrid play Liverpool in the Champions League final
Rafael Nadal (right) was at the Stade de France to watch Real Madrid play Liverpool in the Champions League final

Rafael Nadal made use of an off day to visit the Stade de France to watch Real Madrid take on Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday.

Los Blancos rode Vinicius Junior's 59th-minute strike to win a record-extending 14th title in the competition. Interestingly, their previous success in the competition also came against the Reds in the 2018 final in Kiev.

The Stade de France had many high-profile visitors on Saturday, with one of them being Nadal. The Spaniard is a huge fan of Real Madrid and has watched many of their games at the Santiago Bernabeu. With Nadal competing at the French Open in Paris, he didn't miss the opportunity to catch Los Blancos in action in arguably the biggest game of the season.

Rafael Nadal moved into the second week at Roland Garros for a record 17th year after seeing off Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets in the third round on Friday.


Rafael Nadal looking good for another Roland Garros title?

Rafael Nadal at the 2022 French Open - Day Six
Rafael Nadal at the 2022 French Open - Day Six

Rafael Nadal hasn't won a claycourt title this year, reaching the quarterfinals in Madrid and the third round in Rome.

However, at his Roland Garros bastion in Paris, the 35-year-old has looked in ominous form if his performances in the first three rounds are anything to go by. Nadal is yet to drop a set in the French capital this week.

The Spaniard launched his bid for a record-extending 14th title with a clinical dismantling of Australian Jordan Thompson, dropping only six games. Nadal was equally ruthless in his next match against home favourite Corentin Moutet, except for a late dip in the third set.

Against Botic van de Zandschulp on Friday, Nadal dished out another imperious performance, conceding only nine games to storm into the fourth round. He'll now face young Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime for a place in his 16th Roland Garros quarterfinal, where top seed Novak Djokovic could lie in wait. The Serb will play Diego Schwartzman in the fourth round.

Nadal has only lost one of his 15 previous quarterfinals in the tournament, to Djokovic in 2015. He has a commanding 7-2 lead over the Serb at Roland Garros but has lost two of the pair's last three clashes, including one in the semis last year.

Will the Spaniard beat his great rival en route to scripting yet another title triumph at Roland Garros? Only time will tell.

What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here

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Edited by Nihal Taraporvala
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