With Sergio Ramos recently operated and safe discharge for the next month and a half (It could be two months, it will depend on the progress of your recovery), Raphael Varane remains as the main defensive pillar of Real Madrid For the next few weeks, in the middle of the fight to stay afloat in LaLiga and overcome the knockout stages of the Champions League against Atalanta. The Frenchman must have felt spurred on, knowing that the spotlights will now be aimed more powerfully at him than usual, and in Huesca he stepped forward to shine in defense and be lethal in attack.
Varane could do little to avoid the goal Javi Galán to put Huesca ahead in El Alcoraz; both the Frenchman and Nacho marked the possible unchecks of Okazaki and Mir when the winger of the Huesca team spliced that volley, unstoppable for Courtois. In general terms, Varane's game behind was notorious: 56 good passes out of 61 (92%), five clearances, seven recoveries, six losses and no free-kicks given to Huesca. What is not so common is to see Varane punishing the rival on the scoreboard, a work more typical of Sergio Ramos and that the Lille did his in Huesca with two goals: first, with a header, taking advantage of a rained ball after a direct foul to the crossbar of Benzema; and then hunting a rejection from Álvaro after a header from Casemiro, as if it were a pure 'nine', an animal with a small area.
Varane, with a contract until 2022
His first goals in more than a year, he had not scored since January 29, 2020, in the Cup against Zaragoza at La Romareda. A great start for the French center-back, who will have weeks to come in which he will have to lead behind in the absence of his compadre Ramos; The criticisms for lacking the ability to send back without the Sevillian have been a constant in his career at Madrid, this is his opportunity to clear doubts, facing the present and the future. It should not be forgotten that, if Ramos ends up not renewing with Madrid, Varane will remain as the first man in the center of the rear and a new companion would arrive (Madrid is working on it to be Alaba).
Varane, after scoring 1-2 at Huesca-Real Madrid.
REUTERS
And all this, in a complicated football context, with the pandemic crushing the economies of the big clubs (Madrid has reduced its budget by 200 million due to the absence of fans in the stadiums) and with Varane ending his contract with the white club in June 2022. The defender arrived at Madrid in June 2011, from Lens in exchange for 10 million of euros; It was a personal bet by Zidane that José Mourinho, the white coach at the time, gladly accepted. Almost ten seasons and 18 titles (four Champions and three Leagues between them) later, Varane will enter his last year of contract next summer with no renewal in sight, for now.
Ramos, Modric, Lucas … and wages
Madrid is focused on balancing the accounts of this exercise (He foresees losses of 91 million if he does not cut salaries), negotiating salary cuts player by player, and at the same time dedicates efforts to those who end their contract in just a few months, in June 2020: Modric (he already has an agreement, it needs to be made official), Lucas Vázquez and Ramos. Hence, it has not moved too much at the moment to stop the renewals of those who finish the next year, although it has taken some step in that regard: Carvajal will renew until 2025, the agreement is total and the officiality is lacking. Nacho, Benzema, Isco and Marcelo are in the same situation as Varane; the first two have options to continue beyond 2022, but not the second (Isco has asked to leave and Marcelo does not count and could look for a team next summer). Varane keeps waiting and Madrid does not rule out that the decision will be delayed until his last year of contract.
The Frenchman already had a stage of serious doubts during the 2018-19 academic year, when he considered leaving Madrid to undertake a new project in another team; Zidane's return to the team convinced him to continue in white, but when his current relationship ends, Varane will be 29 years old. Perfect age to continue to the first level, at the Bernabéu or in another square; It will depend on the new contract that they offer and the project that Madrid plans for the short term. The possible signing of Mbappé may have a lot to say in that regard.