Real Madrid: 5 burning questions from a 2-0 win over Granada

What is happening with Raphael Varane?

Raphael Varane didn’t play his best game against Eibar on Sunday, though the same could be said about captain Sergio Ramos. But against Granada, Varane was clearly the defender left wanting as his teammates all played well, as they usually do.

It’s jarring to see Varane play poorly, because he’s often incredible. There was a streak of games in late November and early December in which Varane looked untouchable, but he was back to making Madridistas nervous against Granada.

The France international is very fortunate Granada did not score as a result of one of his errors, because Varane made some horrendous giveaways in this clean sheet. His worst play was in the first minutes of the match, as he lost a ball that should have led to an Antonio Puertas goal.

Varane has consistently bounced back when he struggles, but Madridistas are concerned about the types of mistakes he’s been making this season. His distribution and passing have been at a level below what Real Madrid fans are willing to accept, and while he’s made up for it with his overall defensive work, that honestly wasn’t the case vs. Granada.

I don’t think we should be overly concerned yet, but Varane’s wayward passing and sudden nerves are worth monitoring over the next few matches.