Atletico Madrid look to Koke for inspiration
Youth academy graduate proves persistence pays off with coach Diego Simeone helping 22-year-old keep the faith
There are few players that represent the turnaround in Atletico Madrid's fortunes since the arrival of Diego Simeone as coach more than Jorge Resurreccion, or Koke as he is more commonly known.
Simeone's own resurrection of Atletico has carried the club to four trophies in two-and-a-half years - including a first La Liga title in 18 years this season - and into tonight's Champions League final against Real Madrid in Lisbon.
Simeone has helped me improve physically and on the ball. When he arrived I was about to leave, I wasn't playing a lot and I needed minutes to keep improving
A product of the Atletico youth academy, the 22-year-old has had a stellar season, which has seen him become not just a regular in Simeone's set-up but also in the Spanish national team.
However, he did not always seem destined for great things.
Koke was part of the Atletico side that were eliminated from the Copa del Rey by third-tier Albacete just days before Simeone's arrival in December 2011 and has admitted he was on the verge of leaving the club when the transfer market opened the following month.
"Simeone has helped me improve physically and on the ball," he said. "When he arrived I was about to leave, I wasn't playing a lot and I needed minutes to keep improving.