{"id":5299,"date":"2024-11-28T02:58:08","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T02:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=5299"},"modified":"2024-11-28T02:58:08","modified_gmt":"2024-11-28T02:58:08","slug":"can-rafa-help-end-man-citys-terrible-run-tennis-legend-nadal-pays-visit-to-pep-guardiolas-struggling-squad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=5299","title":{"rendered":"Can Rafa help end Man City’s terrible run?! Tennis legend Nadal pays visit to Pep Guardiola’s struggling squad"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rafael Nadal<\/span>\u00a0swapped Centre Court for a seat in the Anfield stands\u00a0on Wednesday night as he cheered on\u00a0Real Madrid<\/span>\u00a0against\u00a0Liverpool<\/span>\u00a0in the\u00a0Champions League<\/span>.<\/p>\n

The tennis legend, who\u00a0hung up his racquet at the Davis Cup<\/span>\u00a0in Malaga last week, is an ardent Madrid supporter and was pictured taking his place in a seat at the match.<\/p>\n

It was a busy day for Rafa, who also visited the City Football Academy and shared a hug with\u00a0Pep Guardiola<\/span>\u00a0alongside meeting several stars.<\/p>\n

The Spanish icon, 38, also met\u00a0Erling Haaland<\/span>,\u00a0Jack Grealish<\/span>, and Manuel Akanji on his visit to the\u00a0Premier League<\/span>\u00a0champions’ training centre.<\/p>\n

Rafa is a big football fan and showed promise as a child before focusing fully on tennis.<\/p>\n

His uncle, Miguel Angel Nadal, won five LaLiga titles and a European Cup with\u00a0Barcelona<\/a><\/span>\u00a0as well as earning 62 caps for Spain.<\/p>\n

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Rafael Nadal took his place at Anfield to cheer on Real Madrid against Liverpool on Wednesday<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The tennis legend also visited the City Football Academy, where he hugged Pep Guardiola<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Rafa was all smiles as he exchanged words with Erling Haaland, who couldn’t help but beam<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The recently retired tennis legend shared a photo with City and England winger Jack Grealish<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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There was also time for a photo with defender Manuel Akanji at the City Football Academy<\/p>\n

Nadal did not give fans the iconic headband treatment for this footballing tour but did wrap up well with a thick scarf for the chilly night in Liverpool.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It is just over a week since the King of Clay broke down in tears after his final match in front of his home crowd in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

Over a stellar career he won 22 Grand Slams, a total only bettered in the men’s game by Novak Djokovic’s 24.<\/p>\n

‘The titles, numbers, they’re there. People probably know that. The way I’d like to be remembered more is like a good person from a small village in Mallorca,’ Nadal said in his farewell address.<\/p>\n

He\u00a0insisted ahead of his final tournament that he is at peace<\/span>\u00a0with his decision to step away from the sport that made him a global phenomenon.<\/p>\n

‘It\u2019s something I have been thinking for quite a long time,’ he said.<\/p>\n

\u2018I could hold for one more year, but why? To say good-bye in every single tournament? I don’t have that ego to need that.<\/p>\n

\u2018For me it doesn\u2019t make sense to keep going knowing that I don’t have the real chance to be competitive the way that I like to be competitive, because my body is not able to give me the possibility to do that very often.’<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal dropped in to pay a visit to Manchester City stars at the City Football Academy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5300,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[29,30,31],"class_list":["post-5299","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tennis","tag-manchester-city","tag-p-guardiola","tag-premier-league"],"yoast_head":"\nCan Rafa help end Man City's terrible run?! 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