Madrid (AFP)

Main responsible this summer for the sinking of Real Madrid in Manchester City in the round of 16 of the last edition, Raphaël Varane returns to the Champions League against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday (9:00 p.m. local time) to reaffirm the strength of the "White House" ... with or without Sergio Ramos.

The Champions League left the great and calm Varane with his hands on his head in despair, shaking his head from side to side, his eyes staring on August 7 on the lawn of the Etihad Stadium after the 2- defeat. 1 synonym of elimination.

Associated in central defense with Eder Militao that evening in the absence of captain Sergio Ramos, suspended, the 27-year-old French world champion (68 caps) had committed two balls to seal the fate of the Madrilenians.

First a gift offered to Gabriel Jesus (9th) for the first goal of the Citizens signed Raheem Sterling, then a soft and hazardous head pass to his goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, intercepted once again by Jesus, who had only had 'to propel the ball into the nets (68th).

"I have no explanations for these errors. It's a complicated night for me. I have to assume my role in the good times as in the bad times. You should not ruminate on that. (...) Everyone knows. I'm sad. You have to have character to come back stronger, but it's going to be a complicated night "," Rafa "admitted, coming voluntarily to answer for his actions in front of the cameras at the final whistle.

"I want to stand up because in my eyes, this defeat is for me. Sometimes you can fail. Today, I failed, and I must assume it", had reacted the ex-Lensois.

- "Strong defensively" -

Two months after this poor image left in the eyes of Europe, the football planet has forgotten.

Varane's media exit to stand up and take responsibility for the result was more noticed than his mediocre performance on the pitch and the Spanish media, defining the evening as "the worst of his career", also agreed that it would not happen " only once".

For his comeback in the Champions League under the jersey of Real, Varane will be keen to prove the defensive strength of the "White House", still tested by the promoted Cadiz (1-0 defeat) Saturday in La Liga.

"For me, the team is as strong defensively" as in the series of eleven games unbeaten to finish the championship after confinement this summer, reassured goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on Tuesday at a press conference.

In their first five La Liga appearances, Real Madrid have kept their clean sheet three times.

- Without Ramos -

But on Wednesday, as in Manchester in August, Varane will certainly have to operate without his usual sidekick Ramos, who suffered a violent blow to the left knee against Cadiz and who did not train on Tuesday.

"We do not want to take risks. He feels pain, so we will see tomorrow (Wednesday)," said coach Zinédine Zidane at a press conference.

"He's the captain, the team will always miss him, but we also have other world-class defenders ready to play. If the captain can't play, I have full confidence in the other players too," Courtois joined him.

Another challenge for Varane: it is without Ramos that Real Madrid have conceded their greatest routs in recent years in the Champions League, such as the 3-1 against Juventus in Turin in 2017-2018, the 1-0 and the 3-0 against CSKA Moscow in 2018-2019, the 4-1 against Ajax Amsterdam in 2019, the 3-0 against Paris SG in 2019 ... and the elimination 2-1 at Manchester City, therefore , in August.

Solid with the Blues against Portugal (0-0) and Croatia (2-1) during the October break, Varane will have to prove, against Shakhtar Donetsk, that his night of horror in Manchester has been digested and forgotten.

© 2020 AFP