RAPHAEL VARANE has vowed to stop Erling Haaland in his tracks and ruin Manchester City’s treble dreams at the same time.
With 52 goals in 51 games Haaland enters his first FA Cup final as the most feared striker on the planet.
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But United centre-back Varane insists the key to stopping him is breaking his connection with Kevin De Bruyne by pressing high up.
Varane said: “The connection especially with De Bruyne because they have a connection, we try to cut that connection.
“We try to stop them earlier and not at the end because sometimes it’s too late. We know we have to be strong as a team.
“Obviously he is one of the very good players they have, but they are strong as a team and we have to respond not to the individual but more to the collective.”
While City will be favourites to add the FA Cup to their league title ahead of going to the Champions League final in Istanbul, Varane is insistent United can topple Pep Guardiola’s side.
After all they have already won 2-1 at home to get revenge for the 6-3 drubbing at The Etihad this season.
He said: “I think we know we are able to beat any team. We showed that this season. We know we can beat them but we know they are a good team.
“The approach, we have to learn from the games we played against them and we need a great performance.
“We have to be consistent for 90 minutes because we know that everything can change in a few seconds.
“They are very complete. They can score from set-plays, from a possession game and from a transition game.
“We know we have to stop them as a team and collectively as a group.”
Varane, 30, knows what it takes to knock Pep off his perch.
When he joined Real Madrid in 2011 Guardiola’s Barcelona had just won two Champions Leagues and three successive LaLigas.
In Varane’s first season the title was wrestled back to the Santiago Bernabeu, and Guardiola quit the Nou Camp.
It was one of three LaLigas centre-back Varane won and he would also go on to win four European Cups with the Spanish giants.
Now he wants to take the power back in England too.
Varane said: “I learned a lot from that period in Madrid. It was my first step at the top level.
“I learned how to fight, develop that winning mentality.
“We grew as a team and as a club during that period. I learned a lot and it was very helpful for me.”
Varane has brought a calm assuredness to United in a successful second season with the club following his £41million transfer.
He says the pressure of playing for Real has taught him how to handle life with United.
He said: “Even when it’s difficult, we know how important Manchester United are around the world.
“There’s a lot of pressure, so when the results are not good you have to stay calm and composed.”
He has certainly helped to bring a belief and winning mentality to United this season that will be needed in that bid to topple City.
Not just this weekend in the FA Cup Final but next season in the League.
United only briefly flirted with a title challenge this season, but a third-placed finish and two domestic Cup Finals showed real signs of progress.
When he is asked if there is a fear factor about facing City this weekend he looks visibly perplexed.
“Fear?” He said. “No. Why?”
“Every game is a challenge, and I like to challenge myself, like to challenge other teams too as a group as a team and the most important thing is to believe.
“I like to face big challenges, especially when something looks impossible, it’s when I feel OK.
“That expectation to do something impossible, what looks impossible; when the challenge is big I feel more motivation.
“City is a team that creates the most chances in a game, and that game in the first half [when Man Utd beat City 2-1 at Old Trafford] was very good.
“So we have to do this performance to win the Cup and obviously if we have one chance we have to score; so we have to be efficient.”
A serial winner, with a World Cup to his name as well, the French international would love to add the FA Cup to his CV after the Carabao success earlier in the season.
He said: “I wanted to come to England to feel these types of emotions.
“The FA Cup is huge here in England, I have a big respect for the fans and we have a good connection so I know how important this competition – this game – is to them.”
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