“They will value us for what we do on the field, and not for whether we wear a red, red and white or blue and white shirt”
MADRID, 24 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish footballer Jorge ‘Koke’ Resurrección, captain of Atlético de Madrid, downplayed the tribute designed by his club to the match he played in Glasgow on April 10, 1974, stressing that this Wednesday’s match against Celtic FC will be “a match totally different”, corresponding to matchday 3 of Group E in the Champions League.
“It’s a nice initiative from the club, about a match from 50 years ago or so and some former players have traveled with us, but nothing beyond football. In the end it’s remembering what happened 50 years ago with our people and it’s a match totally different, which has nothing to do with it,” Koke said this Tuesday from Scottish lands, following the fact that Atlético has decided to play with the same kit as in 1974.
“We are here to play tomorrow’s game and they will value us for what we do tomorrow, and not for whether we wear a red, red and white or blue and white shirt as is the third one this year. We are focused on the game and nothing else” , summarized the Colchonero midfielder in a press conference.
“Everyone watches football and reads things. They have asked about the reason for this shirt and it explains what Atlético’s history has been like. There is also no need to make a big deal about whether we play with one shirt or another, it is simply a nice gesture from the club with former players,” Koke insisted.
In this sense, the Colchonero captain pointed out that they will be valued “for what we do now and not for what they did 50 years ago, which was something very nice and historic for the club.” “What happened 50 years ago is an important part of the club’s history,” he said.
On the other hand, Koke congratulated himself on the “good streak of victories” of the last month. “Obviously, the level in Europe in recent years has risen quite a bit and it shows. For example, against Lazio we were on the verge of winning the game and the other day at home we suffered, but we pulled through,” he argued.
“The teams in Europe have a very high level and we come to try to win and get three points, since we want to be in the next phase. The level we have been doing in the last few games is good and I hope we continue to maintain it,” predicted the Atlético midfielder , which leads Group E with four points along with Lazio.
After some physical problems at the beginning of the season, Koke is once again a fixture in the schemes of his coach, Diego Pablo Simeone. “At the beginning of the season I had a bad time, obviously we players don’t like having injuries; it is the difficult part of our profession and where we suffer the most,” he said.
“But now I’m happy, I’m playing, I feel good; I can help the team, because for me the most important thing is to win the games. The truth is that I’m happy, because of how I am and how I feel, and above all because we won,” Koke reiterated before giving a warning.
“I think sometimes it’s unfair. Two years ago Manchester City eliminated us in the quarterfinals, putting them on the ropes and playing great games. And before that we eliminated Manchester United, which is one of the greats in Europe,” he highlighted.
“It is true that last year was a bad Champions League, it is reality and we were not good. But we also do things well, it seems that only by what we did last season it is evaluated that we have done many things wrong… “Koke reflected.
“This year we have played just two Champions League games, in Rome they tied us in the last minute and at home we took the game forward. And we came here to do things well and want to win the game and get the three points. We have done very good and others not so good in the Champions League, but Atleti will always compete in this competition and will give everything,” he concluded.