Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has expressed his delight at finally making a return to the first team following long-term injuries.
The 20-year-old returned to starting line-up as Los Blancos saw off city rivals Atletico de Madrid 2-0 at the Vicente Calderon in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final. Real won 5-0 over the two games and eased their way into their second consecutive cup final appearance.
And speaking after the game, Varane said he was happy to play his part, with the clean sheet ensuring Los Blancos set another record – reaching the final without conceding a goal along the way.
Talking to journalists in the mixed zone, he stated: “We played well, we won and got through to the cup final. It was a perfect night. I do not care who our opponents are in the final, the important thing is to win.”
The Frenchman broke into the side last season but missed the tail end of the 2012-13 campaign through injury. He made his comeback in October, but then picked up a knee injury while on international duty with his country in November.
Discussing his injury woes and how he felt physically after the game, Varane said: “We’re going to see how the knee responds over the next few days, to see if it swells. I haven’t had any problems during the match and I have trained hard to get to this point. So far I have played one match and we’ll see if I can play two in a row. The team needs all of the players and we have to be ready if we want to win titles. Everyone is thinking about that.”
