The Football Association has confirmed that Diego Costa will be suspended for three matches after a charge of violent conduct was upheld.
Costa was criticised by Arsene Wenger in the aftermath of Chelsea’s match with Arsenal due to his behaviour that led to the sending off of the Gunners’ defender Gabriel. Wenger said, “He [Costa] can do what he wants, he stays on and everybody else who responds to him has to be sent off. I think it is unacceptable his behaviour. If you look well at the pictures what he does to Koscielny before he pushes him down he hits him in the face and the throat, he always gets away with it”.
In the end, though, Costa has not got away with it as the referee missed the incident in question when Costa appeared to elbow Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny in the face, meaning that the incident could be put before the FA’s independent panel, which can use video footage to judge different incidents.
Costa had denied the charge but the FA’s decision to uphold it means that he will now miss Chelsea’s next three games against Walsall in tomorrow night’s Capital One Cup tie, Saturday’s evening Premier League fixture against Newcaslte United and the Blues’ home match in the league against Southampton a week on Saturday.
To rub salt into the wounds as far as Chelsea are concerned the FA have chosen to overturn Gabriel Paulista’s red card, which was issued for lashing out at Costa after the forward was seen to stand behind the defender and whisper in his ear, causing him to throw his foot out towards the defending Premier League champion’s striker.