Slovakian international defender David Hancko is prepared to face the might of city rivals Real Madrid for the first time this weekend.
Hancko, 27, joined from Feyenoord over the summer and has slotted in at left-back under firebrand head coach Diego Simeone.
'El Cholo' is one of world football's most recognisable bosses, often seen parading up and down the touchline, berating match officials whilst sporting an unchanging all black suit.
Atletico Madrid defender David Hancko getting used to firebrand Diego Simeone
Hancko admits it has taken some time to get used to the Argentine's methods and initially misinterpreted the coach's enthusiasm from the sidelines as a scolding.
Simeone is likely to crank up the emotion this weekend when Atletico host Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium, in what will be Hancko's first experience of a Madrid derby.
"I was fortunate in the last years to have really great coaches and I think that's also why I can be here now and I can be playing [with] such great figures," the Slovakian said, reflecting on the journey to this point in his career.
The defender has represented MSK ilina in his homeland, Italian side Fiorentina, Czech giants Sparta Prague and one of the Netherlands' big three, Feyenoord, prior to signing for Simeone.
In that time, the manager he has worked most prominently under was Liverpool's Arne Slot during their successful, shared spell in Rotterdam. Hancko and Slot won the Eredivisie league title in 2023, followed by the KNVB Cup a year later, before Slot went on to join the Reds.
He has appeared in big derby games before, captaining Feyenoord to victory over AFC Ajax, completing the double over their rivals from Amsterdam with a 6-0 victory at De Kuip in April last year.
The management styles of Slot and Simeone differ somewhat, and is reflected by Hancko's Atleti acclimatisation admission.
"Everybody is different and you can see that our coach now here, he's driven by emotions and everything and that's what I need to get used to.
"He's screaming a lot and then in the first weeks I was like 'Am I doing something wrong?' or 'What's happening?'
"But now I can realise that he's like that and he wants every detail, everything needs to be already trusted.
"I think that's also something that is helping me because he can be as intense as he is in a match [when] also doing training. In the end, I think that's what's going to improve me."
This weekend Hancko could go up against new Real Madrid signing Franco Mastantuono on his flank and is likely to go head-to-head with French superstar Kylian Mbapp at some stage.
The Slovakian exudes a calm demeanour during FourFourTwo's video call on Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours before the game.
He will need that coolness to translate onto the pitch during the pressure-cooker environment of a first Madrid derby, not least because his manager will be doing the very opposite of exhibiting it.
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