Mumbai: Spain may be pining hopes on Atletico Madrid star and Spanish international Jorge ResurreccióMerodio for the La Roja resurrection. But the man, better known to the world as Koke, says he is not under pressure.

Hailed as the next Xavi Hernandez, the Spaniards believe this is the man who can bring back those days tiki-taka. “Xavi is Xavi, Koke is Koke,” he said during the announcement of the Atletico de Kolkata’s plan to start an academy with technical expertise from stakeholders Atletico Madrid.

“It’s an honour to be compared with Xavi. He is a legend. But I am under no pressure. I do not think I am in the national team to fill in his shoes,” he said.

Koke is with the reigning La Liga champions since the age of six, and recently signed a five-year contract. “I am just 22. It’s too early to say what I will do when I am 34. But as of today, I can tell you I would like to end my career at the Calderon. Atletico Madrid is like my second home,” he said.

Koke played a part in the 2014 World Cup, when he came onto the pitch as a substitute as Spain were trailing 0-2 against Chile and were staring at an early exit.

Talking about what was going through his mind, Koke said: “It was a complicated situation. We qualified for the finals, but could not go beyond the group stage.”

Koke and some of his Atletico teammates may come to Calcutta when the academy starts. “That’s our plan. We would like to have them in Calcutta to spend some time with the academy boys. Even Diego Simeone will be in Calcutta. The academy in Calcutta is just the beginning… We have plans to start two more academies in other parts of India too,” Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin said at the media conference.

Earlier, elaborating on the plans Marin told The Telegraph: “We are in the process of finalising the land. There will be at least six pitches. We have a nice partner in Atletico de Kolkata and I am sure this academy will be a great success.”

Sanjeev Goenka, one of the co-owners of the Atletico de Kolkata, said: “The academy will have boys who are five or six year olds. That’s our target. To reach to the grassroots. The academy will also impart technical skills to the local coaches since we think the coaches also should be trained.”