Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP)
The sinking Raphaël Varane: expected as the new defensive captain of Real Madrid in the absence of captain Sergio Ramos, the French world champion offered Manchester City two goals on Friday in the eighth return of the Champions League, precipitating Madrid's disillusion (2 -1).
From light to drowning: promoted defensive boss of Real after the suspension of the irreplaceable Sergio Ramos in the first leg, the French international central defender (27) has single-handedly symbolized the despair of Zinédine Zidane and his men, eliminated from the Champions League even before seeing Lisbon and its unprecedented "Final 8".
It only took one image to understand his desolation. The tall, burly Varane, usually so calm and brilliant in his composure, put his hands on his head in despair and then shook his head from side to side, staring into space, after the first gift. offered to Gabriel Jesus (9th) for the first goal of the Citizens, signed Raheem Sterling.
He then sealed the elimination of his team by serving a soft and risky head pass to his goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, intercepted once again by Gabriel Jesus who only had to propel the ball into the net for the 2 -1 (68th).
- Terrible frustration -
A terrible frustration for the captain of the Blues with 64 selections, orphan of Ramos to lead what was, until that pitiful Friday night in Manchester, the best defensive curtain on the whole continent.
Arrived in 2011 at Real, Varane had yet signed one of his best campaigns under the Merengue jersey, even qualified as "great season" by "Zizou" ... before the huge downside of Friday night.
Hesitant from the kick-off in the face of the aggressive pressing of the citizen attackers, deprived of Sergio Aguero (injured), Raphaël Varane was far from displaying his usual tranquility on Friday ... and the performance of his partner Eder Militao, who had the a heavy task to make forget the unforgettable Ramos, was hardly better than that of the Frenchman.
- It will take time -
On July 10 in the league, Real had yet displayed the same tightness without Ramos, already suspended, by winning 2-0 in La Liga. But it was against Alavés, an opponent far inferior to City and its Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and others.
And Varane's certainties flew with Ramos' absence. With this duo, "it is only happiness", savored Zidane recently. But without Ramos it has been a nightmare for the Frenchman.
Despite his excellent season, it will take time for "Rafa" and the Madrid supporters to forget these two blunders and this catastrophic night on the side of the Etihad Stadium.
Now on early vacation, will the French international defender manage to heal this still open wound and drive this nightmare from his mind in the future? We will know on September 12, the date of resumption of La Liga, if he manages to regain the confidence of the group and his coach. And he will have to go up the slope because at Euro-2020, rescheduled for the summer of 2021, France will be in great need of him.
© 2020 AFP