Retired tennis legend Rafael Nadal is hopeful Barcelona and Real Madrid can meet in this season’s UEFA Champions League final, Afrosport reports.
El Clasico is one of the biggest fixtures in the world between two of Spain’s most successful teams and among the most successful in Europe.
Both sides have however never met in a final of the Champions League or any of its previous formats, something that has long been a desire from fans of both clubs and neutrals.
Nadal, who is a staunch Real Madrid supporter, however stated that is not the focus yet, with a quarter-final against Arsenal to come.
“Would I suffer it [a final between Barca and Real]? Sure, of course. How could I not? And in the end, it would be incredible a bomb for Spanish football — having both Champions League finalists from our league would be amazing,” the 22-time Grand Slam champion said at an event in Madrid.
“But as I used to say when I played, and I still say it now: you can’t think about finals when you’re still in the quarter-finals. But it’s true that Barça is playing some really spectacular football.”
When asked who he thinks is the favourite to win this season’s revamped Champions League, Nadal said: “I can’t speak of a favourite. Obviously, with the teams that are still in the draw — there’s Paris Saint-Germain, who just eliminated Liverpool; there’s Bayern; there’s Inter — all great teams.
“There’s also Arsenal, who have been fighting for everything for years now since Arteta arrived. And then there’s Real Madrid, who’ve won fifteen Champions Leagues and are the current title holders. So would I call them the favourite? No. But I’d definitely call them a top contender.”
Arsenal vs Real Madrid. #UCL pic.twitter.com/GayEXcdDCf
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 13, 2025
Real Madrid are the current Champions League holders and havd a total of 15 to their name, the most of by any European team.
Barcelona meanwhile have five titles, last winning it in 2015 when they defeated Juventus in Berlin.
