Chelsea's Diego Costa suspended three games for violent conduct
Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been suspended three games for violent conduct in Saturday's match against Arsenal.
Chelsea and manager Jose Mourinho expressed their displeasure with the ruling in a statement Tuesday. The news on Costa came as Arsenal defender Gabriel had a pending three-game suspension for his role in Saturday's altercations overturned.
“We are extremely disappointed with the FA Regulatory Commission’s decision to suspend Diego Costa,” read the club’s statement. “We will await their written reasons before commenting further.”
Costa had his actions reviewed by a disciplinary panel after cameras showed him putting his hands in the face of Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny and later hitting Koscielny with his arm, which the referee missed. Shortly afterward, Gabriel kicked Costa in the shins and was sent off on a straight red card after receiving a yellow for scrapping with Costa earlier in the game.
Costa had been booked for chest-bumping Koscielny to the ground, but officials missed the majority of his in-game antics.
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- Jeremy Woo
