Real Madrid: Top 5 performances from 3-1 win over Sociedad

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MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 23: Defender Raphael Varane of Real Madrid CF in action during the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Real Sociedad at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on November 23, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Xaume Olleros/Getty Images) /

CB Raphael Varane

Another France international, Raphael Varane is a player whose contributions are easy to take for granted. But the 26-year-old is one of the best defenders of his generation and shows off his special qualities each and every week.

Against Eibar, Varane was impossible to stop. He was similarly excellent against Real Sociedad, quieting one of the best attacking fronts in La Liga. Sociedad’s offense looked impotent against Varane, whose composure was instrumental in beating Sociedad’s notorious press.

The statistics don’t really give Varane enough credit for how well he read the game and stood tall under pressure, but it says a lot that he was once again the team’s leader in clearances by some margin. Always active and one step ahead of the offense, Varane regularly clears danger before it can develop and is adept at turning clearances into counterattacking opportunities.

Varane needs to be talked about more as one of the best center backs in the world, because he’s never dipped from his world-class quality, despite some criticism of his play in 2018-2019. This season, Varane has been a rock, as he was in this crucial win over Sociedad.

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