A defense of Varoufakis would be best done by Tsipras speaking in the EP forcefully but with a smile, as he does so well. (No expressions of confidence!) And he could make the case for Schauble to be replaced, especially as chair of the Eurogroup Ministers, (he is the one refusing to negotiate0, while noting that Varoufakis is going nowhere so long as Schauble remains. And he could then assert that anytime media leaks result in character assassination type articles against Varoufakis that the verbatum transcripts of what occurred, with video if possible, will be released. Assert that what Schauble and others find objectionable is that Varoufakis is highly effective at pulling down the lies on which current policies are based, and that, while critics do not like the politics he and Syriza represent, that politics is what got Syriza elected and will get them re-elected with an even larger majority.    

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

Nah, that would be silly and run against the adult in the room strategy.

About the leaks, remember it was the first  Wed. meeting where the document was leaked first to Peter Spiegel.

If leaking to the press is so untoward, why did the Eurogroup do it first to embarrass Varoufakis.

And remember, Varoufakis tweeted Spiegel to write that his conclusions were dubious.

I think the Greeks learned a lesson. That negotiations should be conducted through the press. And indeed, they stuck to that principle all the way through negotiations.