While the rest of us were left shocked by Raphael Varane’s retirement this week after his departure from Manchester United in the summer, it seems the Madrid based media couldn’t wait to gloat.
AS cover the situation today and how he’s the latest player to leave Madrid has fallen by the wayside since leaving the Spanish giants. And, that, inevitably means a bit of a swipe at Manchester United.
They say Varane has joined a long list of players to struggle since leaving Madrid that includes Benzema, Asensio, Ronaldo, Casemiro and Ramos.
The Frenchman was a success as far as they’re concerned given, he joined for €10m in 2011, spent 10 years at the club winning four European titles, and then brought in €40m when he joined Manchester United in 2021.
He struggled at Old Trafford, though, and the newspaper believes he is the latest example of a high-level player to have done so.
Ronaldo is the prime example of that after Juventus and a ‘forgettable’ time at Manchester United before heading to Saudi Arabia. Then there is Casemiro, who received ‘serious criticism’ for his performances last season, which were not close to what he showed in Madrid.
He’s now lost his place to Kobbie Mainoo, at least in Erik ten Hag’s eyes, and the newspaper are more than happy to point that out.
It seems that in their eyes, Madrid is the pinnacle of all being and any move elsewhere, particularly to Manchester United, only inevitably means a player will come crashing down.
