Raphael Varane says he prompted Jose Mourinho to start him during the Real Madrid Champions League against Manchester City in 2012 – after the boss asked the defender why he was “useless”.
Having failed to appear in the first four matches of Madrid in 2012/13, Varane, who had struggled to settle in front of the legendary central defenders Sergio Ramos and Pepe during his first campaign at the club, made his first appearance from his second season at home to City after a surprising exchange with Mourinho.
“He is someone I really respect – he is charismatic and he said to me directly:” But why are you useless? “” Said Varane The bridgevia RMC Sport.
“I looked at him [surprised]Because he had just bitten me, and said it was not easy because I did not play and that was a complicated start to the season.
“He asked me if I was ready to play the following Wednesday. It was against City at home. A bit of a bluff – I said yes even if I was not ready. I was not physically ready and mentally I was not confident, but I said yes, I was ready. And that was.”
⏪ In 2012, El Real Madrid Perdía Contra El City 1-2 in El Minuto 87 y Mourinho Terminó Tirándose por el Césped para Celebar la montada. pic.twitter.com/xfzffjlpq
– Madridistareal (@Rmadrididistareal) February 17, 2025
Raphael Varane: Madrid “would have sent me on loan”
Signed as 18 years of the French objective in 2011, Varane had started three group phase games and a direct elimination stage against Apoel Nicosia in which Madrid had 3-0 from the first leg of her first campaign.
A meeting with City represented by far the most difficult test he had faced in Europe at this stage, with Carlos Tevez, Samir Nasri, David Silva and Edin Dzeko for the reigning English champions.
“”[Mourinho] said “OK” to me and he left, “said Varane to the show, co-organized by the current Madrid and the star of France Aurelien Tchouameni.
“In training, I gave everything and the next day, the day before the match, I saw that I was on the team and that Sergio Ramos was on the bench.
“I told myself that I was in Spain at 19 and … if I was crashed, it was over and it was dead. Everything that was going to happen after that no longer existed – I would have been sent on loan. ”
💥⚽ @Raphaelvarane is fatal in the opposition box!
📺 Look at all the Varane @Laligaen goals: https://t.co/9eojpj3ui9#RMLIGA | #Halamadrid pic.twitter.com/rk91xinpok– Real Madrid Cf 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) February 8, 2021
Real Madrid vs Man City
In the first in a catalog of epic matches between the teams, Varane played throughout the central defense alongside Pepe while Madrid was recovering twice after the break to win 3-2 at the equalizer of the 87th minute of Karim Benzema and the Victory of Whiteos of all time Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I played the match, I had cramps everywhere, but I had a good performance,” recalls Varane. “After that, I came back in it and the season started as planned.
“In the second half of the season, I had the best half of my career. [Mourinho] brought me back into the swing of things; This is the kind of coach who pushed me to get the most out of me. »»
Varane Real Madrid Statistics
Having won the first of three Liga titles in her first year with Madrid, Varane became a winner of the Champions League four times between 2014 and 2018 among an honor on the way to become a legend of the club.
Only this first League title went under Mourinho, which was in Madrid between 2010 and 2013. “I can only be grateful [to him]”Said Varane, who left Madrid in 2021 for Manchester United – managed by Mourinho between 2016 and 2018 – before retiring in 2024.
“When I arrived, he said to me,” I only want one thing: that for an hour and a half every day, you give everything. The rest, don’t worry – you will progress, I will take care of it. Relax.
“And the first season, I must have played … The matches where we have already qualified, the games of the Cup. He made me progress little by little and did not throw me at the deep end right away.”
