Diego Simeone came to Koke's defence after the Atletico Madrid midfielder was singled out for criticism from sections of the Wanda Metropolitano support.
Club stalwart Koke was jeered for his performance during the narrow Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen in midweek, although he later insisted he has "total confidence" in himself.
Atletico coach Simeone had some words of comfort as they prepared to face Athletic Bilbao in a third consecutive home match, suggesting even he has had to overcome boos at times.
"Of course the fans have jeered me, in the Calderon itself in some games," he told a news conference. "I remember being whistled just because I wasn't doing a good game.
"People are spontaneous, they say what they feel. They are used to a type of situation and that is what they want.
"It is us who have to strive to improve and not have that tension. It's not just Koke - it's everyone's responsibility."
Asked why Koke might now be targeted by fans, Simeone acknowledged the midfielder may need to go back to basics.
"He is occupying too many positions," the coach said. "Maybe he should focus more on his own.
"Often he wants to fix a lot with his tactical ability. He wants to do more than he is responsible for and ends up paying for what is not his responsibility.
"He wants to fix problems in other parts of the field which are not fixable. With the tactical ability he has and the information he has gathered over the years, this makes him want to do more than he has to do.
"He is a great professional and a great player."
As Simeone reflects on criticism of himself and his team, one issue for which Atleti regularly faces scrutiny is a lack of threat in the final third.
Asked if this could ever complement the usual defensive stubbornness of his side, Simeone claimed "creativity" was not Atleti's problem.
"I believe that what we need is to be more practical, not to have more creativity," he said. "Creativity is not the only factor that improves you. Creativity is good and practicality is better."
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