Casemiro and Varane set for first Real reunion

Wednesday 26 July 2023 11:00

Casemiro and Raphael Varane are in line to face their former club, Real Madrid, for the first time, in the next fixture on Manchester United's Tour 2023.

The big game in Houston takes place on Wednesday 26 July (Thursday 27 July at 01:30 BST UK time) at the NRG Stadium.
 
The two gigantic clubs are meeting for the first time in the United States since a 2018 encounter at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, which the Reds won 2-1. In 2014, the clubs memorably drew a record crowd of 109,318 to the Big House in Michigan.
 
Our last competitive fixture with Real, meanwhile, was the 2017 UEFA Super Cup final in Skopje, Macedonia.
Casemiro skippered the Reds during the second half of last weekend's pre-season win over Arsenal.

Real Madrid won 2-1, with Casemiro scoring the opening goal for the Spanish side. Isco doubled their lead before Romelu Lukaku pulled one back for Jose Mourinho's Reds.

Of course, the clubs could meet in next season's Champions League after United ensured entry back into the top competition with a third-placed finish in the Premier League. Madrid were La Liga runners-up to Barcelona, the team United knocked out of the Europa League.

Real edged our most recent Champions League clash back in 2013, in what proved to be Sir Alex Ferguson's final European game as United manager. The Bernabeu outfit triumphed 3-2 on aggregate, with Cristiano Ronaldo netting in both legs and a controversial red card for Nani swinging the tie in the Spaniards' favour.

Both Casemiro and Varane enjoyed remarkable success with Real - winning five and four Champions League titles with the capital club, respectively.

Casemiro was reunited with his former team-mate when joining Erik ten Hag's side last summer, with the Frenchman signing a year earlier, in 2021.

Of course, they lifted their first trophy in England when the Reds defeated Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley earlier this year, with Casemiro heading the all-important opening goal.

The duo were both involved in United's 2-0 win over Arsenal in New Jersey on Saturday, and will hope to continue their build-up to another important season during the big tussle in Texas.

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