Raphael Varane is optimistic the glory days are coming back to Man United as they approach a vital period of the season.
Raphael Varane believes Manchester United are experiencing “something special” under Erik ten Hag amid their fine form.
United rose to third in the Premier League with their 2-1 win against Crystal Palace on Saturday, are in the League Cup final, through to the fifth round of the FA Cup and face Barcelona in a two-legged Europa League play-off later this month.
“We’re all enjoying playing together and that can be seen on the pitch and you can see from the results that there’s a very positive dynamic about the team,” Varane said. “We’re adapting to the new manager and there’s a good understanding between us all now.
“We know exactly how he wants us to play and that shows on the pitch too – we are comfortable with how he wants us to defend, how to mount attacks and how to manage the match, and we’re all pretty relaxed and progressing with confidence.
“We’ve really put in a lot of hard work, in training and during video sessions, working on the details, and thus creating programmed responses to situations. So the results are there to see and now it’s just about continuity, keeping on in the same vein.
“I love playing, and I was saying the very same thing just the other day to Casemiro. There’s something really special going on here, a real buzz about the place and emotions are running high. I’m really glad that I’ve integrated so well into the team and to my life over here.”
Varane joined United from Real Madrid for £41million in August 2021 but his first season ended trophyless and was the club’s worst in decades.
United have recovered impressively this term and Varane has struck up a formidable partnership with Lisandro Martinez at centre half. At the other end, Marcus Rashford is in career-best form with 19 club goals this season and Varane says Rashford is already one of the best players he has played with.
“He’s in great form,” Varane added. “He’s really quick and efficient on the ball. He’s truly a danger at any moment – he can make the difference in a game in a flash. So truly he’s player who brings a lot of confidence into the team and his current form speaks for itself.
“It’s true that this season we’re seeing more from him. He doesn’t hesitate in taking risks and making plays, and he has taken to his responsibility on the pitch for creating chances. It’s important to harness his talent and his capabilities, because at this time he’s making the most of his skills and that’s a huge plus for the team.
“For me, he is definitely among the best players I have known. He has everything in his armoury. With the confidence he shows and his physical form just now, he’s really a great talent.”
United’s trophy drought is straying close to six years but they can end that on February 26 against Newcastle at Wembley. Varane, 29, won four Champions Leagues with Real Madrid and the World Cup with France in 2018.
Varane moved to Madrid in 2011 and the club ended their four-year wait for the La Liga title in the Frenchman’s maiden season. Varane is hoping to draw on that experience as United strive to become a credible force again.
Varane won the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and was a finalist in 2022
“It is a big plus to have won some trophies and one tries to spread that tranquility, that calm serenity among the team, in the knowledge that there will be difficult moments to navigate, not to panic, safe in the knowledge too that chances will come our way as well,” he explained.
“It’s true that that is a factor in the game management of these special and often intense matches in England, where the league is played at a thousand miles per hour. So to be able to hold up the ball, calm things down those are things one learns with experience over time, so they too are a big plus to the team.
“Winning trophies is our main objective and the ambition for the whole club, for the fans, and for us as players. It’s a realistic goal, and we are all aware of the importance attached to winning a trophy this season.
“That shouldn’t really be a source of extra pressure on us, rather an added impulse to our efforts. When an opportunity like this arises, we have to play to our very best standard. And I think that’s really the only way to approach these things, and to use all our attributes and skills to bring home a trophy to this great club.
“I think such a victory could serve to build a virtuous circle for us, whereby that would unleash a positive vibe around the club, and my experience tells me that winning a title or trophy creates a sense of delight within the ranks. A win just helps the team’s desire to win to grow and grow, and winning just helps to build the belief in going on to more and more wins over time.”
