A sulking Costa barely warmed up when he was asked to by the Chelsea coaching staff and then threw his training vest in the direction of Mourinho when he returned to the bench.
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Not going out for the warm-up, I can understand that completely, but throwing the bib at the manager during the game points to one way. “Now I am happy that I’m playing and that the team is doing well”.
If he wants to hurt me it would not be with a bib.
“If he [Costa] watched the game with some attention from the bench he will know what is needed from him”, Mourinho said.
After the Chelsea striker was dropped for the match against Spurs yesterday, Costa staged a one-man rebellion when named as a substitute for the goalless draw in the English Premier League at Tottenham.
“Everybody can see the way we are playing and our mentality is different, I think everybody can agree with that”.
“I think Diego is privileged because he is last one on the bench”.
Ivanovic, Chelsea’s captain in the injury-enforced absence of John Terry, believes Costa will react to his omission from the team in a positive way. I have to study them but the message, not to Diego Costa but to every one of my players, is when we play as a team and defend as a team the team is much better. I’m happy with the players.
Harry Kane, who had scored nine goals in six games, was kept quiet by Chelsea’s impressive central defensive partnership of Gary Cahill and Kurt Zouma.
“Diego is physically fine, no problems”, he said.
“He was ready to play when he went to warm-up”, Mourinho said.
Hazard’s work-rate was criticised by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho earlier in the season, but the Belgian has been a willing runner for the team in recent weeks.
“I was not expecting to have a player on the bench who was jumping and singing because they’re not playing”.
“He had an okay end to the season but this season has been very, very poor”.
“This is a good thing (that we are disappointed)”, said the Argentine, whose side remain fifth in the table.
Diego Costa and Jose Mourinho are still not seeing eye to eye after their row during last week’s Champions League match.
The Portuguese played down suggestions of a breakdown in relations with Costa after the bib incident which followed a touch-line spat during Tuesday’s Champions League win over Maccabi Tel Aviv.
“It’s always hard to play at Tottenham”.
“We had four shots on target, enough chances to score, and they only had one”.
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But there is no way Leicester’s owners, who must be filled with new ambition given their start to the season, will sell him, even for huge money.
