Koke is no longer irreplaceable for Diego Simeone. At least, that is what has been seen in the first three days of the league championship that the
Atlético de Madrid. Because before Granada, Huesca and Villarreal, the rojiblanco captain did not complete 90 minutes on the pitch.
Something unusual in recent years when the Vallecano has not had physical problems or has come out of an injury.
Koke he usually plays practically everything for him Cholo, like Saul
, but this campaign the dynamics have changed in the beginning.
The rojiblanco captain premiered LaLiga in the starting eleven in the clash against Granada. In addition, he did it as a midfielder. 76 minutes was on the field. Three days later, in Huesca, he was a substitute. He jumped onto the pitch with barely a quarter of an hour to go, and his entry coincided with the best version of Atlético in El Alcoraz.
Later, the mattress team received the Villarreal in the Metropolitan. And although Koke was once again part of the eleven, he played inside and was substituted in the 69th minute, with 0-0 on the scoreboard. Thus the meeting would end.
To find a similar situation, you have to go back a year and a half ago, when in February 2019, Koke went to the bench in the 66th minute in the Champions League match against the Juve in the Metropolitano, a few days later he left the field before the Villarreal in 89 'and the next day he was only 62 minutes in Anoeta … and because he was sent off for a double yellow. In sight are the differences.
In February 2018, Koke hooked four consecutive games without completing 90 minutes (Copenhagen, Athletic, Copenhagen and Seville), but there were four games in just ten days, Cholo rotated for the Europa League games and, in addition, Vallecano started all of them).
In 2015, the rojiblanco captain (then he was not) spent another three games without playing them in full, but he did start against Sporting, Astana and Betis. In the last two, he also spent more than 80 minutes on the grass.
That is, it is the first time since it is fixed for Simeone, that Koke does not complete three consecutive meetings, being also a substitute in one of them. It may simply be a decision by the Argentine aimed at protecting a basic footballer in his plans at this start of the season, where the team had an atypical preparation. They couldn't even complete the week-long 'stage' in Los Angeles de San Rafael because of a positive on the 'staff'. Later, it would be Cholo's turn.
Or it may be a trend that leads Koke to continue being basic for Simeone, but not as untouchable as he had been since the end of 2012, when the Vallecano became strong in the plans of the Argentine coach to continue being so eight years later. Time, and Cholo, will dictate sentence.