Varane has it all, says Hierro

Real Madrid icon Fernando Hierro has praised Raphael Varane in the wake of the Frenchman’s impressive performance against Barcelona.

The young centre-back put in a man-of-the-match performance to help Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final against Barcelona.

He has since been hailed a future star and compared to Hierro, who talked up the 19-year-old.

“It’s not time for that or for any other comparisons. Varane is very good, he’s magnificent and he’s got it all,” Hierro told Marca.

“He’s a player with good ball control, good positioning and he’s very fast. He’s also strong in the air in both boxes.

“But he must be left to grow, so he can be taken care of, creating the ideal environment for him to develop and show what he’s got.

“Flaws? It would be strange if he didn’t have anything that needed correcting at the age of 19. Varane is equally good now as he was before having played against Barcelona.”

Varane has made 18 appearances in all competitions this season for Real Madrid, and was rewarded for his good form at club level with a call-up for France’s international friendly against Germany.