Lisandro Martinez has once again waxed lyrical about his defensive partner Raphael Varane, describing him as a "legend" of the game.
Manchester United pair Martinez and Varane have formed a brilliant partnership in the heart of Erik ten Hag's defence in recent weeks, winning all five games they've started together. Their superb understanding has seen captain Harry Maguire drop to the bench.
Speaking after United's latest win against Europa League rivals Sheriff Tiraspol on Thursday, Martinez told reporters: "Everyone knows how good he is. He is a legend for me. I’m really happy to play with him at the back, but every player in the team is ready to play.
"Every player is doing well and working hard. That’s the important point. It’s not just Varane, it is Harry [Maguire], it is Luke Shaw, it is Donny van de Beek, it is everyone. Everyone is ready, that is the good point [of where we are] as a team."
Varane, 29, has a fine CV - helping France win the World Cup in 2018 and the Nations League in 2021. He was named in FIFA's FIFPro World11 and UEFA's Team of the Year in 2018 and has won 86 senior caps for his country since his debut in 2013.
At club level, Varane helped Real Madrid win 18 trophies during his 10 years at the Bernabeu - including three La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues. He was quite the coup for United when they persuaded him to swap Madrid for Manchester last summer.
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Yet Martinez, 24, is also highly regarded. The seven-cap Argentina international played a role in his country's Copa America and Finalissima triumphs in 2021 and 2022 respectively, helping the great Lionel Messi finally get his hands on international silverware.
Martinez has also impressed at club level, winning four trophies during his time at Ajax - including two Eredivisie titles. His efforts in Amsterdam saw him named Ajax's Player of the Year last season and persuaded United to spent £57million on him in July.
Martinez has spoken highly about Varane before. After United's 1-0 win against Leicester earlier this month, the Argentine told his defensive partner on Instagram : "What a pleasure to play by your side brother."
Legendary United defender Rio Ferdinand was certainly impressed with the Varane/Martinez partnership after United's 2-1 win against Liverpool last month. He told BT Sport: "At the moment they’ve [Martinez and Varane] got the shirt and when we played, it was whoever’s got the shirt they’re in control, they’ve got the destiny.
"We spoke about Harry Maguire and if you’re him, you’re sat there worried at this moment in time. But we know it can change quickly. Martinez come in and everyone was talking about his height [5ft 9in], I was included, can he do it in the Premier League?
"This game [Liverpool] was the perfect game for him. First tackle, first contact, let the opponents know where you are, it’s an old saying but goes a long way. He’ll have different problems in other games but that’s the Premier League."
