Koke evokes memories of past success ahead of crucial week for Atletico Madrid

[p]After ‌a 2-0 victory in the first leg at Camp ‌Nou, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atletico[/a] captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/koke/v9hLv1xJ/"]Koke[/a], an academy graduate who played in their ‌Champions League final appearances in 2014 and 2016, both reached ‌after beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barca[/a] in the last eight, acknowledged the importance of the week.[/p][p][b]"Obviously, this could be a match for our history books," ‌Koke told a press conference on Monday. "Reaching the ⁠semi-finals again after so ‌many years would be incredible, and we're not thinking about the Cup ​final yet. We have to play this one as if it were a final."[/b][/p][p]Koke, 33, reflected on ​his 2014 goal that eliminated Barcelona.[/p][p][b]"I've watched it several times," he said. "When matches like this come around, you draw on ⁠those memories to fire ​yourself up."[/b][/p][image alt="Barcelona - Atletico Madrid first leg stats" id="cfb875c4-ff8d-48a2-ac0c-c3aaf6a1ce1b" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="5dc96245-e487-4423-9d14-2ce8b259be61" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]If Atletico's cup form this season has been strong, their LaLiga campaign has fizzled out. Three consecutive defeats - by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a], Barcelona and Sevilla - have effectively ended their title hopes, ‌though Simeone has rotated heavily in those matches to prioritise the cups.[/p][p]Barcelona lead the table with 79 points, nine clear of Real Madrid. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/villarreal/lUatW5jE/"]Villarreal[/a] are third on 61, with Atletico fourth on 57, 11 ahead of fifth-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/betis/vJbTeCGP/"]Real Betis[/a] with seven games remaining and a Champions League berth next season all but secured.[/p][p]Barcelona, trailing by two goals, travel to a stadium where Atletico have lost only three matches in all ‌competitions this season, none by more than one goal.[/p][p][b]"It's only ​natural that they're feeling hopeful. But my teammates are ‌absolutely raring to go – they respect the opposition, but they're determined to win the match," Koke said. "Barcelona are a team that suffocate you and put you under pressure, and we need to show the character to keep ⁠possession."[/b][/p][p]Atletico are bidding for their ⁠first domestic cup crown ‌since 2013 against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-sociedad/jNvak2f3/"]Sociedad-[/a] on Saturday.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/atl-madrid-jaarqpLQ/barcelona-SKbpVP5K/?mid=GAEOMmxS"]Follow the second leg with Flashscore.[/a][/p]