Koke has returned to be important in the Selection. After a period without being called to La Roja, Luis Enrique once again had the captain of Atlético de Madrid for the call-up last November. And with his formidable performance before Germany, Koke made a hole in the list of the fixed for the Eurocopa and took out all the ballots to be part of the starting team of Spain.
Koke's performance improves on Luis Enrique's system. In the Selection he acts indoors and associates more and seeks the game between the lines, pulling the midfielder down the eight lane. Playing in the opposite field makes Koke better, who has to travel fewer meters in the defensive phase, that in La Roja consists of always pressuring the opponent in the opposite field, either pressure after loss or pressure in block before the start of the opponent's short game.
Koke has had spectacular seasons under Simeone at Atlético that led him to be called up by Spain in the World Cups in Brazil and Russia, as well as the Euro 2016. But His departure from the National Team occurred when he played for Atlético for a longer time, like the whole team, in intensive withdrawal, in own field, with the rival goal many meters away and thrown to the band sacrificed in defensive tasks.
The impressive start to the season of Athletic It was due to the step forward that he took Simeone sending the team a few meters higher to be closer to Luis Suárez. In that scenario, Koke surrendered even playing pivot and, above all, by getting him out of the band where he was turning the odometer after 10 seasons of running up and down as required by the harsh style of the Cholo. In those games where Atlético marveled at the start of the season, a Koke was seen who proposed possession football in phases, showing that Atlético has a squad to alternate in the game and to play in the middle block and middle block with players like João Félix, Marcos Llorente and Koke himself.
That step forward from Athletic supposed that the Metropolitan squad would finish the first round at a rate of 100 points and that Koke returned to the national team. In the first half before Greece, Koke once again gave a master class on how an interior should act at 1-4-3-3 with a style of position and possession. The Madrid midfielder shows great tactical intelligence and individual quality to adapt to two different styles of play and stand out in both. Although today, his performance is even higher when he plays under Luis Enrique than on the board proposed by Simeone.