Mendy: "I will be Marcelo's successor"
While he has only started five games for Real Madrid this season, Mendy remains patient and comforted in his belief that he will eventually take the reins from Marcelo.
Ferland Mendy is certain he will be Marcelo’s successor at left back at Real Madrid.
The French defender has given an interview to the club TV channel, in which he touched on replacing Marcelo, his dream of playing for Real Madrid and a hip injury in his teens that almost ended his dreams of becoming a footballer.
"I was 14, almost 15, and it was an injury to my left hip," he recalled, adding that he spent two months in hospital with both legs in plaster, which was followed by months of rehab to learn how to walk again.
"When you're told at that age that that's that for you as far as football is concerned and that you'll never play again... I thought that my dream would never come true.”
Fast-forward a decade and his dream of playing for Real Madrid has become a reality after the club signed him from Lyon for 48 million euros in the summer.
"My dream as a child was to play for Real Madrid and I've ultimately managed to achieve that. It was a real source of satisfaction for me,” he said.
“It's a dream come true to play for the best team in the world. Opportunities like this don't come along often in life and when they do present themselves, you've got to take them.”
Mendy: I’m here because Real Madrid see my potential
Mendy has played just six games this season, five of which he has started. And while he is likely to remain an understudy to veteran left-back Marcelo (31), the Frenchman remains patient and comforted in his belief that he will eventually take the reins from his Brazilian team mate.
“I will be his successor,” he told Real Madrid TV.
"He has a lot of time left, but if they've brought me here, it's because they see potential."
Mendy also spoke about his Real Madrid debut against Bayern Munich in the pre-season and the pride of putting on the Madrid shirt.
"The day I made my Real Madrid debut was a special one. I wanted to make a good impression and perform well,” he recalled.
"I knew that it'd be a tough game against Bayern Munich. But it's a pleasure to pull on the Real Madrid shirt and I intend on giving my all every time I do so.”
The French defender has started Madrid’s last two games in which the club has managed to keep clean sheets against Real Betis (0-0) and Eibar (4-0). With Marcelo back in the squad after a knock that kept him out of the Eibar game, it remains to be seen if Zinedine Zidane will opt to bring Marcelo back in or hand Mendy his third consecutive start.