How father figure Simeone fuelled career of Atletico's Koke

Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke has heaped praise on manager Diego Simeone ahead of this weekend's Madrid derby, labelling him a father figure in his development.

Koke, left, and Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone Source: Getty Images

Atletico meet rivals Madrid in La Liga on Sunday morning (AEST) and 26-year-old Koke, who has amassed over 200 appearances for the club since 2009, credits Simeone with much of his career success to date.

"He (Simeone) is like my father because when I was young he gave me a lot of confidence, which you need when you’re young," Koke said.

"I will do everything for him, for the team, maybe to reward this confidence he put in me.

"He’s really helped me improve, and he gives a lot of good advice … He’s just been there to help us all."

Koke also praised the ability of his manager to bounce back from the departure of high-quality players in recent years.

"When we’ve had very good players, the players that stand out, well then they were sold off," he said.

"But I think Simeone has re-invented everything and we play as a team. As a team we’ve got quality players and that is very important."

A win over Madrid could lift Atletico to the top of the La Liga table and Koke expects their playing style to be different, as they continue to adjust to life without former star Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Real Madrid play as a team and they’re a very strong team, so I think now maybe they will actually do more teamwork, rather than have the individuality of Ronaldo scoring the goals," he said.

"I think it’s going to be a very good match."