Campaign against Costa: The case for prosecuting Chelsea’s naughty number nineteen
Diego Costa is in the dock after stamping all over Liverpool pair Martin Skrtel and Emre Can in Chelsea’s Capital One Cup semi-final second leg win, although Blues boss Jose Mourinho insists that Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp is conducting a ‘campaign’ against him and the club.
We’re not usually inclined to agree with Redknapp here at news.bwin.com, but the some-time M&S suits salesman clearly had a point when stating Costa should have been sent off against the Reds.
Mourinho claims the clash with Can was ‘absolutely accidental’. Maybe the Special One could explain the incidents below?
Exhibit A: December 2012, Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid
The Brazilian-cum-Spaniard not only punched future international teammate Sergio Ramos in the face while both were running for the ball, but also spat into his gloves before flicking it at the Los Blancos man. He stayed on the pitch, but Diego Simeone’s side lost 2-0.
Exhibit B: Viktoria Plzen V Atletico Madrid
In Los Colchoneros’ next fixture after the Bernabeu loss, Costa raced over to headbutt Plzen defender David Limbersky. He was sent off immediately and Atleti lost again, this time 1-0
Exhibit C: February 2013, Atletico Madrid v Real Betis
Costa came on in the second half at Vicente Calderon, with the sides level at 0-0, and scored the winner within five minutes after Betis centre-back Antonio Amaya gifted him a chance in front of an open goal. Amaya said afterwards:
“He was shouting and thanking me for the gift. If my team-mates had not held me back, I would have killed him. That shows what kind of person he is: he has no heart and no shame.”
Not long after the goal, Costa planted his studs on the visitors’ defensive midfielder Ruben Perez, who was on loan from Atleti at the time.
Exhibit D: November 2014, Sunderland v Chelsea
Having already picked up four bookings in 11 Premier League appearances for his new club before the 0-0 draw on Wearside, Costa escaped with just another caution at the Stadium of Light despite elbow-smashing Wes Brown in the face.
He could also have seen red for aiming a kick at Brown’s fellow former Manchester United defender John O’Shea.
Subsequently the list goes on, with numerous instances of the striker using a renowned Spanish expletive questioning the parentage of his rivals, not to mention incidents such as the on-and-off-pitch dust up between the 26-year-old and Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson in the first leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final.
Having been charged with violent conduct by the FA, Costa may yet miss Chelsea’s top of the table clash at home to Manchester City at the weekend, with a three-match ban for his Stamford Bridge antics reportedly in the offing, although he is yet to be shown a red card in a Blues shirt.
The black and gold boys at bwin.com go 1/2 that Costa receives a red card for Chelsea this term, while 7/5 says he gets away without being sent off during the rest of the campaign.
