Koke calls for team unity amidst Julian Alvarez’s challenge

Atletico Madrid captain Koke has leapt to the defence of Julian Alvarez amid the forward’s dip in form, while sidestepping questions on Kylian Mbappe’s absence from the Real Madrid semi-final.

Koke, captain of Atletico Madrid, has come to the defence of Argentine forward Julian Alvarez, who is currently experiencing a challenging spell of form. Koke stressed that the team “shouldn’t just demand from him” but rather “from everyone”, voicing his conviction that Alvarez delivers precisely when the team “needs him most”, potentially ahead of Thursday’s Spanish Supercup semi-final against Real Madrid.

“We always demand a great deal from top players. We shouldn’t just demand from Julian Alvarez; we must all demand more from ourselves to achieve our goals. Players like Julian Alvarez step up when the team needs them most, and we hope he can rediscover his form, just as he did at the Metropolitano when the team urgently required his contribution. He is a special player. He will be 100% ready the moment the team needs him,” Koke affirmed during a press conference, recalling Atleti’s emphatic 5-2 victory over the ‘Merengues’ last September.

Koke also emphasised the importance of competing for a trophy as captain, particularly when commencing with a derby against Real Madrid.

“Playing a derby is always special, and so is playing a semi-final; opportunities like this don’t come around often. There’s no greater motivation. I always strive to be as mentally robust as possible to fulfil the team’s requirements. That’s my paramount motivation to secure victory, whatever the match. We’re playing against Real Madrid, and what more motivation could one ask for?” he declared.

Furthermore, the Atletico Madrid captain maintained that the outcome of their previous derby clash would not “influence” their approach to the upcoming match.

“It doesn’t influence us. Both teams are intimately familiar with one another. We had our first encounter in the league and delivered a strong performance, but every match is very different,” he affirmed.

Securing a similar result would see them qualify for the Spanish Supercup final. Atletico Madrid, therefore, are just two matches away from lifting silverware this season.

“It’s certainly not an easy path to a trophy, but it represents the closest we’ve been in recent times. We face Real Madrid in the first match, a formidable opponent and one of the world’s elite teams. And they will encounter an Atletico Madrid side that will battle relentlessly to win this title,” he stated.

He also reflected on previous eras at Atletico Madrid, citing former stalwarts such as Gabi or Tiago Mendes, when prompted about the current squad’s leadership.

“Every person is different, and club cycles vary. While that period was beautiful and spectacular, football continually evolves. We have a semi-final against Real Madrid, and we are committed to giving our absolute best to win this title,” he remarked.

Furthermore, he declined to elaborate on whether Kylian Mbappe’s absence for Real Madrid, who is sidelined with a left knee sprain, would impact their tactical approach.

“We know Mbappe’s quality and the immense talent he possesses. He’s one of the best players in the world. I’ll be able to tell you after the match if it truly changes anything for us,” he quipped.