Diego Costa: Chelsea striker charged with violent conduct by FA

The Brazilian-born Spain worldwide is no stranger to controversy and he attracted a lot of headlines at the weekend for his antics which earned Arsenal defender Gabriel a red card in the Blues’ 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge. The latter later lashed out at the Chelsea man and was subsequently sent off by Mike Dean.

“Why does Diego Costa stay on the pitch and Gabriel is sent off?”

“I think Arsenal has the squad to be champions”, Mourinho said, when asked for his thoughts on Wenger.

I wouldn’t risk him against Spurs so I’d play either Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini or even Aaron Ramsey in the holding role on Wednesday, but we’ll have to wait and see what Arsene decides to do.

Further, due to these incidents, Arsenal defender Gabriel was sent off for retaliating to the 26 year old attacker, with a back heeled kick.

“We didn’t start the season very well so it was very important to win these two games – Champions League against Maccabi (Tel Aviv) and the derby against Arsenal“.

Just after the opening day defeat to West Ham, Cech spoke about his philosophy of simply concentrating on improving in the next match, and he said the same thing yesterday in his parting shot: “You have to pick yourselves up and continue”.

“I tell you, if one of their players is a free agent and they don’t want him there, I get every one“.

Mourinho then proceeded to compare Costa’s behaviour to the Rugby World Cup, as he concluded: “I will go to a game on Sunday that I consider comparable in terms of dedication and passion – New Zealand against Argentina”.

Personally, I felt that the way in which the player behaved was abhorrent.

Mourinho refused to say if Costa would rile him in opposition, saying it is challenging to play against Wayne Rooney, Christian Benteke, Luis Suarez and Gonzalo Higuain.

“We warn them not to get involved and I don’t understand Gabriel because he usually looks a calm boy”.

“But it’s because of these players that football is what football is and so many passion around, because they create passion”.

Jose Mourinho was seething when Costa was retrospectively sanctioned in February for treading on Liverpool’s Emre Can, part of what the Chelsea boss perceived as a “campaign” against his side which included a Sky Sports montage entitled “Costa’s Crimes”.