‘Thank God we have Varane’: Man United fans hail incoming addition as Bailly’s horror show costs Ivory Coast dear

Manchester United’s supporters have taken to social media in numbers on Saturday, to react to Eric Bailly essentially costing the Ivory Coast their spot at the Olympics.

Mir at the treble

The Elephants were in action a short time ago, getting their Olympic games campaign back underway in a quarter-final showdown with Spain.

Patrice Beaumelle’s men headed into proceedings with their tails up, on the back of a solid if unspectacular group stage showing, which saw the Ivory Coast remain unbeaten in a table featuring the talents of both Brazil and Germany.

In turn, when Max Gradel’s strike saw the African powerhouse take a 2-1 lead into injury time in Tokyo this afternoon, Beaumelle and co. looked set to maintain their status as potential dark horses to take home gold this summer.

Such aspirations, however, went firmly up in smoke with 93 minutes on the clock.

A whipped delivery into the Ivory Coast’s box saw star defender Eric Bailly first make a mess of his attempted headed clearance, before inexcusably allowing the ball to bounce, teeing up Rafa Mir to lash home from close range.

RIFU, MIYAGI, JAPAN – JULY 31: Rafa Mir #9 of Team Spain celebrates after scoring their side’s second goal during the Men’s Quarter Final match between Spain and Cote d’Ivoire on day eight of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Miyagi Stadium on July 31, 2021 in Rifu, Miyagi, Japan. (Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)

The clash, in turn, rolled into extra-time, with Spain, from here, having simply taken over.

Bailly was again the man at the centre of the controversy in setting La Roja on their way to victory, though, giving away the penalty which allowed the Euro 2020 semi-finalists to take a 3-2 lead through Mikel Oyarzabal.

And substitute Mir went on to add some gloss to the scoreline late on, notching a further brace to clinch a first-ever hat-trick at international level, in the process guiding Spain into the Olympics’ final-4.

Varane > Bailly

On the back of the action coming to a close in the Japanese capital, it should come as little surprise to hear that the Manchester United faithful have since caught wind of Bailly’s latest display.

The stopper actually opened the scoring vs Spain, but the errors which Bailly has, to this point in his career, been unable to eradicate from his game, ultimately cost his country dear.

Raphael Varane’s imminent arrival at Old Trafford has, in turn, been widely highlighted across social media, with Red Devils supporters evidently no longer trusting in the talents of their error-prone centre-half:

Eric Bailly with the most Eric Bailly performance of all time in the Olympic quarter finals. Scored, massive mistake for the equaliser in the last minute of normal time then ridiculous handball to give away a penalty in extra time. Varane will never get a game competing with him.

— Dave (@RainDogJones) July 31, 2021

Eric Bailly be some useless defender, I thank God we have Varane now. He should look for another club.

— Sheldon (@YawaOfTheDaaY) July 31, 2021

Thank God Manchester United signed Varane 😭

Bailly is terrible

— kay 💧 (@KayPoissonOne) July 31, 2021

Eric Bailly showing why manutd went and got Varane

making school boy errors throughout this game#ESPCIV

— Evans (@Evans_sly) July 31, 2021

Eric bailly vs spain 1 goal 2 error 1 handsball welcome varane

— Vially,Miko R (@mikovially) July 31, 2021

Bailly’s performance today makes me more delighted to have Varane smh

— Imran (@_TheRealImran_) July 31, 2021

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