Raphael Varane has backed Alphonse Areola to challenge Thibaut Courtois for the goalkeeper’s shirt at Real Madrid this season. Courtois has been Los Blancos’ number one since moving to the Bernabeu from Chelsea in the summer of 2018 although Keylor Navas played 10 La Liga games last season before moving to Paris Saint-Germain on September 2, with Areola moving in the opposite direction.
It was a strange move given Areola’s international ambitions and having already won three caps for Les Blues.
France manager Didier Deschamps said his lack of game time could hamper his chances of playing international football but Varane feels his compatriot is quite capable of pushing for the number one berth. “He will be very well received,” he told reporters.
“Anything can happen in football and we’ll see if he will be able to play regularly in Madrid. “I know his qualities. He has cards to play and I hope for him that he is going to have a good season. He is ready for it. “He has confidence in his ability and we will help him settle in.”
Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris is Deschamps’ main man between the posts, with Areola acting as back-up, and it seems as though that will remain the same for the time being.
Whether or not Areola can oust both men from their positions only time will tell, but it seems as though Varane will do all he can to help the former Villarreal loan man find his feet in the Spanish capital.
