<
>

Raphael Varane will be captain of Real Madrid in future, says Florentino Perez

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez sees defender Raphael Varane as future captain of the club.

The 22-year-old Frenchman has been with the club since 2011 and has become a fixture on the back line.

And while Varane might not draw as many headlines as Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale, he has the backing of Perez as the leader on the pitch for years to come.

"I am convinced that Varane will one day be captain of Real Madrid," Perez told France Football.

"He is adored by the fans. Not only is he is a great player, he is also a great person."

Perez was also firm in his support for Varane's countryman Karim Benzema, who looks set to be left out of Euro 2016 amidst a blackmail scandal involving Mathieu Valbuena.

"We have supported [Benzema] and we will always support him," Perez added.

"Having spoken to him, I'm sure that it is impossible to think that he did something bad.

"He is a good lad and I am absolutely convinced that, above all, his intention was to help his friend Mathieu Valbuena."