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Cape Town - Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane feels that a series of uncharacteristic errors saw him lose the confidence of manager Zinedine Zidane.
The young Frenchman was an established player with Los Blancos at the start of the season, but has found himself relegated to the bench on several occasions, and was graceful in his assessment of what went wrong for him.
"After five years I hope to overcome the obstacles," he told L'Equipe. "I'm at a crucial moment. I think a player needs to develop and feel important. That's true for all players. I try to work every day, to progress. I know the qualities I have and what I can do."
Varane was a vital member of the team that delivered Champions League glory in 2014, playing 12 matches in their campaign, including the final.
"It's true that until November, I played almost everything. It's also true I made some rather unusual errors. But, in the season on the whole, there has been a lot of positive things," he added.
"It's true I would have liked to play the crucial games at the end of the season, especially in the Champions League, but they are the coach's decisions."
The centre-back also discussed his national team's chances of performing well in the upcoming European Championships, a tournament hosted by his country.
"We are capable of beating anyone and competing with the best teams," he added. "We'll prepare well for the competition. We have everything it takes to arrive in good condition.
"To have the Euros in France is a huge motivation and I hope to give the best of myself."
