“Until the day I die I will fight to see Atlético lift a Champions League”

The captain of Atlético de Madrid, Jorge Resurrección 'Koke', revealed that his dream is to “lift the 'Champions' one day with the bracelet of the mattress set, something that he will fight for until his dying day, and highlighted the great importance of its technician, Diego Pablo Simeone, for having managed to change the mentality of the team and make them a champion club, with a constant presence in Europe.

“Hopefully we can continue expanding the club's legend, be the one who has played the most games with this shirt and -above all- raise titles. I have already raised many but now my dream is to raise them as captain. Hopefully I can lift the 'Champions' one day “Koke said in statements to the Movistar + 'Universo Valdano' program.

Those two lost finals to Real Madrid were “a shame.” “In the end all the work of a whole year, so much happiness dissolves into small details. It's football, we had to lose but we are not going to stop fighting. I hope we can win it because it would be incredible for our people who have dreamed it and wanted it. Until the day I die I will fight to see Atlético lift a Champions League. Football owes Atlético a championship, “added the Vallecano.

Asked about the keys to success, Koke had it clear. “Simeone arrived and changed our minds. The players were the same. He arrived in the middle of the season, Albacete from Segunda B had eliminated us, a disaster, in the League we were not doing well either and the coach arrived and changed us all, especially the way we understand football. He instilled all of this in us. Every day talk about winning and winning, about competing“Koke said.

“More than the first speech I remember when he came to the club and all the people who came to see us that day at training did not whistle at us, they applauded us. We had just been eliminated, they wanted to kill us because the team was not well and suddenly they began to applaud us to encourage us (thanks to Simeone). After the talks he gives, he is a great motivator, he impressed me from the beginning “he admitted.

“We compete a lot with each other, the competitiveness was huge, that raised the level of the group from the beginning. We used to joke with Juanfran once, saying 'this one makes us go out crying one day'. Appeal to the shield, to the people … bring out everything. The 'Cholo' transmits that leadership. It is not easy to achieve all this, “he added about his coach.

“We have had cycle changes and new people It also renews a bit all that spirit that Simeone leads. I think I'm the only one here since he came. I know what he wants at all times and it is already easy to meet him, “said the Spanish international.

“Since Simeone came there was a spectacular change, made us winners. We gained international prestige, this stadium, now we are in another place. The Calderón is missed, how could he not be missed! and it is true that we have made a leap in quality because the Metropolitan is spectacular but the Calderón will always be unique. It will be in my heart and that of many athletes. Each stadium has its essence and the Metropolitan is already having its own “, he pointed out.

On other issues, the mattress captain acknowledged that “with maturity” he has learned to “speak in the field.” “A team needs a player who speaks on the pitch. It is essentialIf you don't give a teammate a call, maybe you can make a different move. I learned a lot from Gabi. It hurt a lot when he left. Gabi has been during these years has been the captain of all athletic and it has perfectly represented what cholismo is, “he said.

Further, Koke remembered his debut with the Atlético first team, with 17 years of the hand of Abel Resino, when he began to believe that “he would be a professional footballer”, his confirmation with Quique Sánchez Flores, his replacement with Goyo Manzano and the resurgence with Diego Pablo Simeone thanks to the arrival of the titles.