Diego Costa was spoken to by Chelsea coach Antonio Conte after the striker reacted angrily to not being substituted against Leicester City on Saturday, although the pair have now moved on from the incident.
Costa, who scored the opening goal in the 3-0 win for the Blues at Stamford Bridge, made a gesture to Conte as Chelsea led the clash 2-0, which suggested he wanted to come off.
Upon realising he would be kept on the pitch for the full 90 minutes, however, Costa lost his cool and was captured by TV cameras shouting at Conte on the touchline.
It was assumed that Costa’s request to be brought off was, in part, down to the fact he is one booking away from earning a one-game suspension, which could have put his participation in Chelsea’s next game against Manchester United at risk.
But after seeing out the game and Conte playing down the incident, Standard Sport understands the Italian coach spoke to Costa following the victory with the pair ending the conversation off on good terms.
Last year, the Brazilian-born Spain international was seen arguing with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho during the club’s Champions League game against Maccabi Tel Aviv, which resulted in the Portuguese dropping the striker to the bench for the club’s next match against Tottenham.
Costa was told to warm up at White Hart Lane in that game but, after then being left on the bench, he reacted by tossing his bib in the direction of Mourinho – an act for which he later apologised for.
Following the incident on Saturday, Conte insisted he is not swayed by players’ requests to be substituted saying: “If I can, I keep Costa until the end of the game because he is an important player to us. He has a good personality and we need this in every moment of the game.
“I know I risked it today because if Costa took another yellow card he will miss the next game, but I repeat that Costa is patient, and he must transfer this in every game and in every single minute.
“I decide [about substitutions]. Me, every single substitution. I take the responsibility in every situation, in positive or negative situations. It’s always my decision.”
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