Atletico Madrid captain Koke on Champions League semi-final – ‘It’s like having your first date’ | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid captain Koke Resurreccion started off his press conference ahead of the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal by comparing it to the first time he had a date with a girl. The 34-year-old explained that once the game gets underway though, any nerves will disappear.

Koke, the only member of the Atletico Madrid squad that played in both the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals, has returned to this stage of the competition for the first time in nine years.

“Good morning. Whenever the date approaches, you get butterflies in your stomach, like when you have a first date with the girl you like. But it all goes away when you go to warm up. You play with the excitement of playing a semifinal. We’re arriving full of enthusiasm.”

Koke: ‘We have to keep a cool head’

In terms of approaching the tie against Arsenal, Koke highlighted the balance between remaining composed and playing with plenty of passion.

“We already saw it in the quarterfinals against Barca and in the Round of 16. These matches are decided by details. The level is incredibly high. We need to be intense, aggressive, and enthusiastic, but also keep a cool head. It’s going to come down to small details.”

“We’re living in the moment. What’s past is past. I don’t notice anything strange or different. We’re playing against a fantastic team. It’s a semifinal, and we’re going in with maximum motivation.

‘I’m going to enjoy it as much as the others’

Koke was asked if he expected to get to another Champions League semi-final as the years passed.

“You don’t reach the semifinals every year. If we made it through, it was the seventh, and this is my fourth. I don’t know if I’ll play in any more, but I’m going to enjoy it as much as the previous ones.”

It is also Antoine Griezmann’s final home game as an Atletico player in the Champions League.

“If we can say goodbye with the Champions League title, that would be incredible. We all have that motivation. This is a team, and we play to achieve the ultimate goal. Right now, the ultimate goal is the Champions League.”

Koke not surprised by physical level

For many, it was expected that Johnny Cardoso and Pablo Barrios would be the starting pair in midfield this season, but with both suffering from injuries, Koke Resurreccion has played more often than not. He was asked if he had surprised himself playing 120 minutes against Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final.

“It doesn’t surprise me. Every day I’m more motivated to be here. This is what drives me to the level I’m playing at this season.”

Atletico Madrid and Arsenal kick off at 21:00 CEST on Wednesday night at the Metropolitano, with the return leg on Tuesday night at the Emirates.