Atlético de Madrid were able to recover their good form after a resounding victory at the Metropolitano against Girona. One of the big surprises in Simeone's system was the substitution of Koke, who had already started against Villarreal. The Atlético captain is one of the fundamental pillars of the Colchoneros team, but yesterday he had to start from the bench.
There was no doubt that Koke would end up coming on at some point in the second half. Thanks to that, he was able to put an end to a curse that had been dragging him along for several seasons with the red-and-white team . The youth-team player has never been a very prolific player in front of goal, but he had not managed to score a goal for several years.
Koke seeks his best level
Last week, one of the big surprises in Simeone's tests was the captain's substitution for yesterday's match. All those tests became a reality, with Rodrigo de Paul and Pablo Barrios taking centre stage in the midfield. Koke's pre-season had been somewhat complicated , with him often showing signs of not being 100%.
However, it seems that the little rest that Simeone gave him yesterday in the debut at the Metropolitano has done him a lot of good. Koke would come on in the second half of the match to give Atlético de Madrid strength in the engine room and be able to sustain the result. However, the youth player went a step further and managed to break a bad streak that he had been dragging in front of goal since the 2021-22 season .
The last goal that Koke had scored in the Colchoneros shirt was in the 29th matchday of that season against Rayo Vallecano. That day, Atlético de Madrid won by the minimum, although there was very little at stake. More than two years later, the Spanish footballer has scored again, this time to close out the rout against Girona .
A longer season than usual
Simeone will need a full squad that will allow him to make numerous rotations in a campaign that will have many matches. It should be remembered that the Champions League will have an extra matchday in the group stage, as well as a Club World Cup in the summer. Therefore, it will be key to be able to regulate pillars like Koke, who play too many matches during the campaigns.
In this respect, it seems that Pablo Barrios is already starting to be the ideal replacement for the captain in the centre of the field. He has two consecutive starts this season, in addition to having been a very important piece in the Spanish Under-21 team . There is still a long season ahead, but it seems that Simeone already has clear what his steps will be in the midfield.