I n a gleaming white Manchester United training suit Raphaël Varane emanates the kind of pre-FA Cup final cool that will be a boon to teammates when trying to claim a second trophy of the season and halt Manchester City’s tilt at the treble in Saturday’s Wembley showpiece.
Not that the France World Cup winner and four-time Champions League victor with Real Madrid is characterising taking on Pep Guardiola’s gilded team in any way that might allow his quotes to be dressing-room motivation fodder.
On a sun-drenched day at United’s Carrington base, Varane says: “We want to win and that’s the only objective we have. We don’t try to stop them, we want to win for the club.” The 30-year-old is far more bullish when a particular F-word is put to him regarding what he and the rest of Erik ten Hag’s players may feel when attempting a repeat of January’s derby victory at Old Trafford. “Fear?
No. Why?” says Varane. “Every game is a challenge and I like to challenge myself, we like to challenge other teams too as a group.