Doc is right. I only joined GL last year, so I wasn't around for that.

I don't know, I still don't see him leaving despite the sky is falling message from Sports.

Well of course it is.  Ideally, he wants to force Madrid's hand so he gets a proper look as a regular...  but if the political play doesn't work, then he'll look to leave.  He was the regular under Rafa and, because he got injured and could never train while Pepe could, he lost his job under Zidane.  It had nothing to do with performance.  Zidane just felt that Pepe-Ramos were healthier and had a lot more playing time under his system and didn't want to change a successful pairing.  It's understandable.  But Varane doesn't have another year to waste and that's his mentality.  If he were 22 years old or less, it would be fine.

The person i got this from couldn't be closer to the situation tbh. Varane loves Madrid but he loves his career more.

http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Raphael-varane-real-madrid-je-me-sens-a-un-tournant/676199

He sounds pretty adamant that 5 years is enough...  very clear his patience has run out.

I played almost all the games until November.  It's true i made some uncustomary errors.  But overall for the season, I don't think that's all you can look at.  There were a lot of positives too.

It's also true that I would have liked to play the important games at the end of the year, especially in the Champion's League.  But those choices are made by the coach.  

After 5 years at Real Madrid, I'm ready for the next step.  I feel that I'm going to pass a cap.  

For a player to reach his potential, he has to feel important.  It's applicable for every player.  I try to work hard daily and to progress.  I know that qualities that I have and what I'm capable of.

The idea is to really take the next step this summer.  I want to continue my personal evolution after 5 years at Real Madrid.

*bleep* it

We need varane to stay. Pepe is on his last legs, after this season varane needs to become the starter

If he can't take the job from Pepe under Zidane then he never will.

When Pepe plays like this nobody will take the spot off him. Every season Pepe is supposed to regress because of his age but he is only getting better every year. If Varane wants to move on then by all means do it, he has hardly covered himself in glory this season and this constant moaning about playing time is getting on my nerves. Both Carlo and ZZ preferred Pepe and under both coaches he showed why he is the best. Varane could start over Ramos but he has Iker level status in the team

Varane needs to knuckle down and get on with it, when the guy who recommended you to the club is not playing you, the only way you can look is at yourself. He is hardly not getting playing time, since ZZ got here he has played every other game, he hasnt improved a bit. Play like you did under Mou and you get your spot back.

It is like clockwork with him, he starts the season as a starter, then gets a 1 month injury, Pepe gets his spot back despite the fact he should be a starter in the first place, he makes that position his own, Varane comes back, struggles to take his spot back, goes on NT duty and moans he doesnt play more

While I agree with Hala that Varane hasn't done much to help his case, I completely disagree with him about the Pepe bit.

I don't understand why you think that "he's only getting better every year". That statement is not only incorrect, it's also misleading. Pepe couldn't even maintain his level, let alone improve on it. He's had many god-awful performances this season and the general consensus among fans is that he has regressed...a lot.

Granted, he has slightly improved in recent weeks but overall, he still hasn't done anything - absolutely nothing - to have that paragraph you just wrote written in his name.

Truth is, all three of our CBs have been below average this season and none of them should feel, not a single one, entitled to something.

It's not really that difficult to displace Pepe. In fact, and based on current form, any half-decent CB could do it. The reason Varane couldn't manage to do so is because he played equally bad and failed to convince the very same man, and btw countryman, who recommended and brought him to Madrid from Lens to choose him over the Portuguese.

I no longer rate Pepe that high, I never rated Ramos in the first place, and I no longer rate Varane.

The Frenchman can go "pass a cap" wherever he wants. I don't want self-entitled, under-performing, whiny, unprofessional excuses for footballers at Madrid.

Good luck, buddy! Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

The Demon of Carthage wrote:While I agree with Hala that Varane hasn't done much to help his case, I completely disagree with him about the Pepe bit.

I don't understand why you think that "he's only getting better every year". That statement is not only incorrect, it's also misleading. Pepe couldn't even maintain his level, let alone improve on it. He's had many god-awful performances this season and the general consensus among fans is that he has regressed...a lot.

Granted, he has slightly improved in recent weeks but overall, he still hasn't done anything - absolutely nothing - to have that paragraph you just wrote written in his name.

Truth is, all three of our CBs have been below average this season and none of them should feel, not a single one, entitled to something.

It's not really that difficult to displace Pepe. In fact, and based on current form, any half-decent CB could do it. The reason Varane couldn't manage to do so is because he played equally bad and failed to convince the very same man, and btw countryman, who recommended and brought him to Madrid from Lens to choose him over the Portuguese.

I no longer rate Pepe that high, I never rated Ramos in the first place, and I no longer rate Varane.

The Frenchman can go "pass a cap" wherever he wants. I don't want self-entitled, under-performing, whiny, unprofessional excuses for footballers at Madrid.

Good luck, buddy! Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Is there any player that you like ? Wonder how we made 2 CL finals in 3 years with all these average players

Agree with Valky on this one. RM defence is most solid only bar Juve imo, ofcourse minus Rafa era but that was also more due to lack of proper DM and defensive workrate of CMs more than defenders being scrub. I also agree that Pepe since dropping his shenanigans has actually shown the upward trend in his performance. Ramos is hot and cold I know but he also has knack of delivering at crucial moments if he manages to remain cool. And Varane boy that guy has some talent I tell you. If he leaves Madrid it will be a huge loss for club . He is being little impatient but what can you expect from a hugely talented guy who could walk easily in any top teams of Europe being benched by 33 year old.

Valkyrja wrote:
Is there any player that you like ? Wonder how we made 2 CL finals in 3 years with all these average players

I didn't say they were average. I said their performances were average. There's a difference. I realize that they're three of the best CBs in the world. I'm not denying their talent. I'm just saying that their overall level this season hasn't been in the same wavelength as their talent.

Having said that, I believe that Ramos has too many flaws to be considered elite. I think Pepe used to be elite, but no longer is. And I believe that Varane hasn't done much to feel that he's entitled to something.

@Demon, I dont think we will ever agree on Pepe you and I but you have to admit since the turn of the year Pepe has been flawless. I do recognise the fact that he made some blunders in the Rafa days but who wouldnt everyone were bad. Pepe was excellent last season and has been excellent since ZZ took over. He hasnt lost his speed at all. Passing was never his strongest suite but I am willing to overlook that when he has been this good

Ramos is the kind of guy that will give you around 5 blunders in the space of 30 seconds but he can also give you WC performances. I'd rather not play him but if I had no choice I could accept it

Varane is young and nobody has told him till now to keep his gob shut. As per that interview sport posted he has admitted himself that he has been bad so why does he expect to start again

not playing ramos would be absolutely dumb. pepe-varane has never worked and we will sorely miss ramos' presence. he's our captain and leader. the intangibles provided by him can't be replaced and he's always been sorely missed when he didn't play. he's irreplaceable due to his uber competitive spirit, leadership and courage.

regarding pepe / varane, I hope Varane plays. he's much better imo.

Ramos can give us that spirit from the bench. Dude is a knuckle head, just some game ago he just charged out to a player that Varane was covering leaving his man free 1v1 vs Casilla. He is literally dumb. If he didnt have the Iker status he would have been sold long ago

But Valk is right though, the Varane-Pepe pairing was disastrous pretty much every time they played together.

I would hazard a guess that it may be due to neither of the two being comfortable in the LCB position. Both look better next to Ramos or Nacho who play LCB by trade. In fact Varane played best next to Nacho believe it or not.

halamadrid2 wrote:Ramos can give us that spirit from the bench. Dude is a knuckle head, just some game ago he just charged out to a player that Varane was covering leaving his man free 1v1 vs Casilla. He is literally dumb. If he didnt have the Iker status he would have been sold long ago

I would argue to sell him all now to be honest.

halamadrid2 wrote:Varane is young and nobody has told him till now to keep his gob shut. As per that interview sport posted he has admitted himself that he has been bad so why does he expect to start again

Because Ramos and Pepe have had stretches this season and the past 5 seasons where they were far far far worse yet Varane gets the shortest rope...  his beef is that he doesn't get the same opportunities.  He needs to be perfect while the others can make as many mistakes as they want and they still get the benefit of the doubt (looking at you Ramos).

Locker room politics Turok... and i know this for a fact.  The issue Rafa had was that he benched Pepe and de-emphasized Ronaldo.  So those two fractured the locker room and poisoned guys like James and Marcelo...  and then it spread to others.  Rafa was horrible.  But the effort os some was horrible too.  They just didn't play hard.  Zidane had to get control of the locker room again.  

Every manager at Madrid has the same problem in the locker room sooner or later.  The only one who didn't was Carlo...  and all the way to VDB before him.  

At Madrid, you have to make sure you play politics correctly first before you have a chance at any success. Flo backs his players, not his manager. He feels that the manager is not doing his job is his players are unhappy.

And just like that he's out for the final with an injury unlucky hopefully it isn't something that will carry into the euros

It will. He may miss the Euro entirely. They will take a week to evaluate.

These injuries are hampering his progress and makes him unreliable in the long run

sportsczy wrote:It will. He may miss the Euro entirely. They will take a week to evaluate.

Yup just saw the confirmation that he's officially out of the euros and that Adil Rami will replace him.