With their new coach Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid is hungry to win La Liga, and so far, things are going quite well. Rafael Nadal was in Madrid to support his favorite team, who won 3–1 against Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu. After the match, Real Madrid players came over to say hi to Rafa, who was in the stands.

It was Rafa’s first visit to the stadium this season, and before kickoff, he spoke to Real Madrid TV, sending a clear message to those doubting Xabi Alonso’s side.

“Having Xabi here—someone who knows the club well, who’s young, and has an outstanding track record in Germany—is great. He’s started the season winning every game but one. They lost the derby, and yes, it was by a large margin, but it seems like the world is ending because of that.”

Rafa went on to defend the team’s progress: “The reality is that they’ve almost had a perfect run, and Real Madrid will compete for everything. We just need a bit of calm, to let them work, which is vital. You can’t just focus on the moment—you have to think long-term. It’s a long season with major goals, and they’ve handled a tough start really well.”

The Spanish tennis legend also praised Kylian Mbappé. “When Madrid signed Kylian, everyone knew exactly what they were getting. They brought him in believing he was the best player in the world, and he’s proving that it wasn’t a mistake to think so. He’s going to fight to be the best—I’m convinced of it—and he has a great team supporting him. I’m especially happy to see him succeeding because I know how much it meant to him to be here,” Rafa concluded.

Source: Mundo Deportivo