Koke: “A corridor has nothing to do with having a gesture of sportsmanship”

the captain of the Atletico MadridJorge ‘Koke’ Resurrection, stressed after his team’s victory in the Madrid derby against Real Madrid (1-0) that it had “nothing to do” with the decision not to make the Whites a corridor for their League title with “have a gesture of sportsmanship” with rivals.

”I have many friends at Real Madrid, I have congratulated them all. It does not have to do with making a hallway than having a gesture of sportsmanship. There has been such a stir, we have decided not to do it and that’s it, we shouldn’t give it more importance. We have come out to win the game and that’s it, the debate is closed. They are co-workers whom we respect a lot”, settled.

The ‘rojiblanco’ midfielder, who has played for Atlético since he was a child, acknowledged that they were “very keen” to win a derby at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, where they had not managed to beat Real Madrid since its inauguration in September 2017.

”Since it was inaugurated we have not had that luck, especially because of the three points for our people. We have had a difficult year, but I think that the people who stay with the effort that the team made, we have been able to score more goals, in the end they almost tied us, we have achieved three important points for us and for our fansKoke opined.

Atlético won 1-0, but could have achieved a greater victory if they had scored the many chances they had during the match, including a shot at the post by Yannick Carrasco, a one-on-one by Matheus Cunha that was saved by Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin or several shots from Antoine Griezmann.

”Both Griezmann and any striker always want to score goals. The important thing is that he has had occasions, today he has not had that fortune, the same thing has happened to Cunha, Carrasco has hit the stick. We are working so that those goals arrive, today we have achieved 1-0 and we are going home happya”, he valued.

Koke valued that the victory is “very important” for the objective of qualifying for the next Champions League, with which they manage to distance their closest rival, Betis, by six points.

”Our objective is to enter the ‘Champions’ and we have three points left to achieve it, in three games, and if the team works like today it will achieve it. Proud of the work during this week, which has not been easy, against Real Madrid, who have been League champions, they are in the ‘Champions’ final, the result has more value”, he finished.