La Liga: Real Madrid defender reveals the secret to keeping Lionel Messi quiet

Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has insisted that stopping the Little Master Lionel Messi is not impossible but it is also not a one-man job.

Varane, who was barely 18 when he decided to join Bernabeu, has been with the former La Liga champions for almost a decade now. Since he moved from Lens in 2011, he has won four Champions League titles and two La Liga trophies with Real Madrid.

He has struck a great bond with Real skipper Sergio Ramos in the centre but even the excellent pair have something suffered against Messi's geniuses over the years.

"You can't defend as you do with others and it takes teamwork. You can't leave him room," Varane said when asked about Messi in a recent interview.

"Being a defender of Real Madrid means being able to make very few mistakes. We have 50 meters of the field behind us," the defender added.

The Frenchman also mentioned that during his growing up days, he idolized players such as Pepe, Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo, who left Real for Juventus ahead of the 2018-19 season.

"I was inspired by players like Pepe or Sergio Ramos because they are defenders and by someone like Cristiano Ronaldo, who is an example for any footballer. Sergio Ramos has a winning mentality and has a great experience.

[Coach Zinedine Zidane] Is a great example for me due to his serenity, his always positive being. I've been here for eight years and every time it's like starting from scratch. I want to give my best for this shirt," Varane added further.

After 19 matches into the current season, Real and Barca are tied on points with the latter on the top over goal difference. Varane and Real will next be in action Saturday when Seville tour Madrid for a La Liga clash.