Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke has confessed derby matches with Real Madrid are ‘always special’ even if neither side is in top form.
Both teams from the capital sit eight points behind league leaders Barcelona going into Saturday’s clash – the first ever at the Wanda Metropolitano – with both desperate for a victory.
“Madrid derbies are always special occasions,” Koke told Diario AS.
“There is a lot wrapped up in these games with emotions and high skill levels and despite having played in a lot of them now, the magic is not lost.
“We have not seen the true Real Madrid this season but they have an amazing team and always put in their full effort, and that will certainly be true for their first visit to our stadium.
“The international break has given us a chance to reflect on what has been going wrong and to analyse our performances in order to improve them.”
