5 Reasons Why Raphael Varane Must Be a Regular Starter for Real Madrid
Raphael Varane has made 10 starts for Real Madrid in all competitions so far this season but again dropped to the bench for Saturday’s 3-0 win at home to Celta Vigo.
The majority of his chances have come due to the absence of one or both of the regular centre-backs, Pepe and Sergio Ramos—either through injury or because Carlo Ancelotti has chosen to rest them.
When all defenders are fit, Varane still seems to be Ancelotti’s third-choice. This is not, though, a situation that can continue indefinitely. The 21-year-old is one of the most highly-rated young defenders in world football and a regular for France at international level.
Here are five reasons why Varane must be a regular starter for Real Madrid.
He Has All the Attributes of a Modern-Day Defender
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Varane possesses all the attributes required of a modern-day centre-back.
On the physical side, he is tall (6'3"), strong and quick across the ground. Technically, he is capable of distributing simply but effectively out of defence and times his tackles well.
Per WhoScored.com, his tackle success rate of 76.92 percent is higher than Pepe’s (72 percent), but lower than that of Sergio Ramos (81.82 percent). He commits less fouls than either of them.
Perhaps more impressively for a player of his age, he rarely takes unnecessary risks in his defending. He is not as unpredictable as your average 21-year-old centre-back and therefore represents a relatively safe option when picked.
He Has the Right Mentality to Succeed
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It is not only in the physical and technical departments that Varane shines. He also seems to have the right mentality and a confidence that allows him to perform well under pressure.
France coach Didier Deschamps provided clear evidence of his faith in Varane by handing the young defender the captain’s armband for their friendly win over Armenia in October.
“He’s a communicative player who’s very important to us because of what he does on the pitch,” Deschamps said afterwards, as per Marca. “He’s very confident in his own ability and is very calm for his age.”
There are very few central defenders as young as Varane who have already racked up more than 20 Champions League starts for one of Europe’s elite clubs.
The ability to take that sort of pressure in stride is what sets Varane apart from many of his contemporaries.
He Needs Time to Form a Partnership with Sergio Ramos
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Pepe will be 32 by the end of the current campaign, and it is time for Madrid to plan for a future in which Varane and Sergio Ramos are their primary centre-back pairing.
The two of them have started together on six occasions in league and Champions League play so far this season, keeping three clean sheets and conceding an average rate of just 0.67 goals per match (author calculation).
This compares favourably with Madrid’s overall record of 0.74 goals conceded per match across these two competitions (two in five in the Champions League; 12 in 14 in La Liga).
Varane has formed a solid and physically imposing partnership with Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho for France and needs to be given the opportunity to nurture a similar relationship at club level.
Ramos has become an emblematic figure since joining Madrid from Sevilla at the age of 19 in 2005. Of the current first-team squad, only academy graduate Iker Casillas has been at the club for longer than Ramos.
At 28, he still has a few years left in him at the top level. Despite the odd crazy match, Ramos is the best suited of the club's current centre-backs to form a partnership with Varane.
Irregular Football Is Harming Varane’s Development
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Varane first provided clear evidence of his potential during the 2012-13 season. Jose Mourinho showed great faith in the young centre-back and he responded with a string of solid performances.
He was particularly impressive during Real Madrid’s run to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
His progress was, however, tempered by the recurring knee problems he suffered last season. Varane was unable to take to the pitch until mid-September and was also out of action between mid-November and the start of February.
He has since been unable to dislodge Pepe or Ramos from the starting XI. He has had to be content with sporadic starts and while he still impresses on occasion, he has often been lacking a bit of sharpness when called upon.
With little game time, his development has stagnated. It would be difficult to pinpoint any areas of his game that have improved significantly since Mourinho left the club.
Varane is still young for a top-level centre-back. He still has plenty of time to develop. But he has proven himself capable of performing well for France at international level and deserves the opportunity to play regularly for a big club.
“It’s different with the national team,” he said recently, as per J. I. Garcia-Ochoa of Marca. “I get more minutes and have more responsibility in the team. The aim is to reach the same level of involvement in the club.”
Real Madrid Risk Losing Him Otherwise
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Varane recently signed a new contract through to 2020, but that is unlikely to prove much of a deterrent to interested parties if he becomes frustrated at his lack of regular starts.
Varane is one of the most highly-rated young defenders in world football, and there are plenty of clubs who would be willing to take him off Madrid’s hands.
Jose Mourinho, for one, is a vocal admirer of the young Frenchman.
“I think he is the best young central defender in the world,” he told the Sun (h/t the Daily Mail) earlier this year. “Already I think he is the best.”
Mourinho signed Varane during his time at the Bernabeu and his current side, Chelsea, have consistently been linked with a move. Per Telefoot (h/t the Daily Star), Mourinho admitted in October that a deal for the 21-year-old was unlikely at the current time. But Chelsea would certainly be among his first suitors if Varane did voice a desire to leave Madrid.
Per Alex Harris of the Daily Star, Arsenal and Manchester United are also interested.
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