Varane left while still a teenager from Lens. The central defender was ‘discovered’ by Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid opted for him as one of the most important young promises in defence. The Marseillais did not fail his eye and the Lille defender became a club legend playing for ten years in white and establishing himself as a starter alongside Sergio Ramos in the European triumphal cycle, precisely, with Zidane as coach.
In the summer of 2021, Raphael Varane wanted to find new challenges and decided to leave Real Madrid. The Frenchman signed for Manchester United, but the situation of the Red Devil club is not the most conducive to shine. United are experiencing a journey through the desert that not even the arrival of Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo among others have managed to solve.
The Portuguese has been present constantly, but Varane has had more problems with injuries that have made it difficult for him to adapt, missing up to 17 games this season (80 days off).
He has not found his best level either in the 29 games played, but, knowing his quality, the last great Old Trafford center-back, Rio Ferdinand, defended the Frenchman in his YouTube channel ‘Vibe with Five’.
His argument in favor of Varane was based on a first year of adaptation and his radical change from the culture of Real Madrid to the moment that Manchester United is now experiencing. “He comes from a team that his titles tell you is performing at the highest level, with his players consistently playing at their best and he has come to a totally different situation where the team has no functionality, no confidence, no guidance, no structure. to know where they are going. You have reached a strange stage in which you must think “I haven’t seen this since youth”. To come from that culture and that world-class standard to what is at United is a huge change,” he assured.
For Ferdinand, Varane will continue to be impressed by the situation that the Old Trafford club is experiencing and that has led them to sign their worst historical classification of the Premier League era. “You’re probably sitting like a rabbit in headlights thinking, ‘Wow, what is this? He has not been the player we expected. It’s what he would tell you. I would tell you “I have to raise the level next year. I need help,’” said the Englishman, defending the former Real Madrid’s capacity for self-criticism.
The former defender also criticized, from the understanding, the club’s decision to cancel the season awards at the request of the locker room. For Ferdinand, several players deserved to go through that hard time. “I understand why they haven’t done the awards for the season, because there’s nothing to celebrate. But I think as a club I would have made them go and squirm in the chair. Especially those who you think have thrown away the season and if you think they haven’t given it their all. They should go in and feel that shame,” he said.
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“Varane? Coming from the culture of Madrid to what is in United…”