Raphael Varane said he tricked Jose Mourinho into winning his game in the epic Champions League against Manchester City in Real Madrid in 2012 – after the boss asked the defender why he was “useless”.
Varane failed to compete in Madrid’s first four games in 2012/13, and has been working to build his own game in front of legendary centre-backs Sergio Ramos and Pepe in the club’s first campaign, making his first appearance in the club’s first campaign after a surprising exchange with Mourinho.
“He’s the guy I really respect – he’s very charming, and he said to me directly: ‘But why are you useless?’” Varane told Bridge through RMC Sport.
“I’m looking at him [surprised]because he actually just stabbed me and said it wasn’t easy because I didn’t play, it was a complicated start to this season.
“He asked if I was ready for the following Wednesday game. It was at home against the city. A little bluffing – even if I wasn’t ready yet.
En 2012, El Real Madrid perdía Contra El City 1-2 En El Minuto 87 Y Mourinho Terminó Tirándose Por El Céspedpara para delearr la remontada. pic.twitter.com/xfzffjjlpq
– Madridistareal (@rmadridareal) February 17, 2025
Raphael Varane: Madrid “would have sent me a loan”
Varane, who signed from French Side Lens in 2011, started three group matches in the knockout round against Apoel Nicosia, and Madrid led 3-0 in his first game.
The encounter with Manchester City was by far the toughest test he faced in Europe at the time, with Carlos Tevez, Samir Nasri, David Silva and Edin Dzeko providing special features for the British champions at the time.
“[Mourinho] Tell me “ok”, he left.
“I went all out in training and the next day, the day before the game, I saw myself on the team, Sergio Ramos on the bench.
“I told myself that I was in Spain when I was 19, … If I messed up, it was over and I was dead. Everything that would happen after that would no longer exist- I would be rented out.”
💥⚽ @raphaelvarane Deadly in the opposition box!
📺Watch all Varane’s @laligaen Target: https://t.co/9eojpj3ui9#rmliga | #halamadrid pic.twitter.com/rk91xinpok– Real Madrid CF🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@RealMadriden) February 8, 2021
Real Madrid vs. Man City
In the first of the EPIC game catalog between the teams, Varane played in the central defense with Pepe as Madrid recovered twice after the break, equalizing the score with Karim Benzema in the 87th minute and the 87th minute of Blancos, Blancos won a 3-2 victory while Blancos’ top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo won the 90-minute championship.
“I went to the competition and I had cramps everywhere, but I did a good job,” Varane recalls. “After I went back to it and the season started as planned.
“In the second half of this season, the best half of my career. [Mourinho] Let me go back to the sway of things. He was the kind of coach that prompted me to get the best from myself. ”
Varane Real Madrid Statistics
Winning the first of his three La Liga titles in Madrid’s first year, Varane became the Champions League four times between 2014 and 2018, an honor on his way to becoming a club legend.
Only the first league champion fell in Mourinho in Madrid between 2010 and 2013. [to him]Varane said he left Madrid in 2021 at Manchester United, who was run by Mourinho from 2016 to 2018, before retiring in 2024.
“When I arrived, he told me: ‘I just want one thing: for an hour and a half a day, you give everything. The rest, don’t worry – you will improve, I will take care of it. Relax.’
“This is the first season, I must have played…we have qualified for the game, the cup. He has made me improve a little bit, and didn’t immediately get into the depths.”
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