Real Madrid center back Raphael Varane has been immense this season, but he will be tested like never before on Tuesday against PSG.
Without captain Sergio Ramos by his side, Raphael Varane had a nightmare performance against Angel Di Maria and PSG in Real Madrid’s embarrassing 3-0 loss at the Parc des Princes in September. But since then, Varane has been as good as ever, bouncing back as quickly as the team’s following 1-0 win at the Sanchez Pizjuan over Sevilla.
Varane is one of the best center backs in the world, and the 26-year-old has been invaluable both to Real and to France as the national team’s captain. His ability to read the game is incredible, and few attackers are capable of beating him to the ball on the ground or in the air.
Lately, Varane has looked impossible to beat. He shut down Real Sociedad on Saturday as one of Real’s standout performers, picking up where he left off before the international break when he absolutely bossed Eibar.
But PSG are a completely different caliber of opponent for Varane. For the first time this season, Varane will have to face compatriot Kylian Mbappe, who has five goals and three assists in only 470 minutes of Ligue 1 action this season. Mbappe’s scoring ability is legendary, and he has the tools and off-ball awareness to beat Varane in the physical and mental game. It’s rare to find a player who can match Varane in this way.
The same can be said about left forward Neymar, and right winger Angel Di Maria is also a menace; everyone on Real Madrid can certainly attest to both of those former La Liga stars’ skill-sets. And of course, Mauro Icardi is no slouch at striker with six goals in his first 457 minutes at PSG this season.
Varane is one of the world’s most intelligent defenders and is rarely troubled by anything, but he will be put to the test on Tuesday. And as the center back who is asked to be the most active when chasing long balls or providing cover, he’ll be especially important in supporting Dani Carvajal.
Though Carvajal has largely been effective this season, he’s also been exposed by faster and better quality attackers, including against Real Sociedad on Matchday 14. It will be up to Varane to, once again, patch up the holes that Carvajal leaves behind, especially with a healthy Neymar on tap.
Plenty of focus will be placed on Eden Hazard, Neymar, Mbappe, Karim Benzema, and all the other elite attacking players on both teams. But don’t neglect a player like Raphael Varane, whose presence could very well determine the outcome of the game. If he has another lockdown performance, then Real could complete a successful defense of the Santiago Bernabeu in vengeful victory over their toughest opponent in the Champions League’s group stages.