PSG is favorite against Madrid: Nadal

CAIRO – 2 February 2018: The Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, number one in the world, said on Wednesday in Alicante that Paris Saint Germain are favorites in the upcoming tie against Real Madrid in the 16th round of the Champions League because of the team’s positive dynamics.


The Balearic tennis player made these statements at a conference organized by Banco Sabadell in Alicante, the new headquarters of the organization, of which Nadal is its ambassador.

"I'm not a mathematician and can’t to talk about percentages, but this kind of qualifier game is decided because of tiny details. PSG is in a favorable position because of their current form, but Madrid also has great experience in the European Cup," argued the Spanish tennis player.

Real Madrid is unexpectedly suffering this season as they are behind Barcelona, the current leaders of the La Liga table, with a deficit of 19 points. In addition, they were knocked out of the King’s Cup by Leganes in the quarter-final.

Nadal, a great fan of Real Madrid, said that everything will depend on "how the tie starts" and on whether the Zidane team "regains the confidence it has lost recently."

"Now we have two great matches and we will see what happens, it is a complicated tie between two of the best clubs in Europe," said the Spanish champion, who was asked to analyze Madrid’s current situation with some perspective.

"A few months ago it seemed that everything was going well and now it seems like a disaster, there are always intermediate points and I as an athlete know that you can bomb to disaster in a short time, and in sports much more," he explained.

Nadal recalled that there is no need to "dramatize" because Real Madrid are coming from winning two European Cups and one Spanish League.

"It's been a complicated year, but the assessments cannot be temporary, look at the medium or long term," added Nadal, who acknowledged that it is possible things were done wrong.

“Madrid has to finish the league in the best possible way and if there have been rivals who have done better they shake hands and congratulate them," concluded the tennis player, who had words of praise for the Spanish national team.

"They really have been in a very good form since the arrival of Julen-Lopetegui [the Spanish national team’s coach]. He cannot do better," Nadal stated.