Atletico Madrid Full-back assesses Los Rojiblancos' season so far

With Juanfran set to reach the milestone of 300 competitive matches with Atletico Madrid, the Spanish defender admitted that he is a player that has always given his all during a golden period in the club's history.

Few could have foreseen just how pivotal a player the defender would prove to be in the Spanish capital, yet he has surpassed all expectations and quite fairly could have been considered the best in his position in world football between 2013 and 2014.

"I am a very small part of the history of this club," he explained in an exclusive interview with MARCA.

"When I finish playing, I don't want people to remember me as someone who played 300 or 400 games.

"I would rather be remembered as somebody who gave everything in every single one of those matches."

Ironically, it was at Real Madrid where the 32-year-old was given his football education, he was a successful, Castilla graduate and went on to make six first-team appearances with Los Blancos.

Yet it is with Los Rojiblancos where he has felt most comfortable, a fine spell with Osasuna got his post-Real Madrid career back on track before he arrived at the Estadio Vicente Calderon in 2011.

The Spaniard maintains that he was incredibly proud to join such a club and be part of their recent rise to prominence under Diego Simeone.

"I feel tremendous pride in being able to participate in so many matches with this club," he intimated.

"I only had one thing on my mind when I put this shirt on for the first time, to be successful here and become a major player.

"I have done that and now I just want to achieve even more."

As with any player at the age Juanfran is at now, the talk of a contract extension becomes all the more pressing a matter.

It is no secret that the arrival of Sime Vrsaljko has handed the Argentine coach an extra option at right-back, an option which curtailed the veteran's total minutes to 240 this season, a figure that stood at 570 after the same amount of games in 2016/17.

His current contract expires in June, however the former Castilla defender doesn't wish to be handed a new deal out of sentiment alone.

"During the year we will continue negotiations, I do not wish to renew for the sake of it, if I sign it is because I feel important to the team and I can continue performing.

"I also want the club to trust me for more years and believe I can be a major player, I do not want anybody to simply give me anything."

Despite the significant success he has achieved since joining Los Colchoneros, Juanfran has been part of two losing efforts in Champions League finals, something that irks both Simeone and every single member of the squad.

Irrespective of such heartbreak, lifting the famous trophy remains the club's main goal and Juanfran is convinced that before Gabi retires, he will win the Champions League with Atleti.

"Yes I remain convinced," he admitted.

"I do not say this to be deceitful or create false hope in people's minds, but I am convinced that our captain will one day lift the trophy.

"We hope to have a good group stage, qualify to the knockout stages and from there we will gain belief with every round closer to the final."

It hasn't been the most auspicious of starts in LaLiga for the former River Plate coach's charges, an inability to find a strong attacking rhythm has seen the team slip to a number of dismal draws.

However, they remain within touching distance of Barcelona at the summit of the Spanish top flight and can expect a winter boost when both Diego Costa and Vitolo arrive in January, though the former Espanyol loanee is unwilling to focus on the future.

"The goal today cannot be to think about Diego and Vitolo," he confirmed.

"We have to think about the players we have at this moment, we will think about signings when the time comes.

"Together with the coach, we are the players who have to deliver right now and we have to get the fans excited, our goal has to be to win matches now and not be desperate for January."