Diego Costa Warned Fernando Hierro Not to Allow Teammate to Take Decisive Penalty During Shootout
Diego Costa reportedly warned Spain manager Fernando Hierro that his Atletico Madrid teammate Koke would miss his penalty kick against Russia at the Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday.
According to the Daily Mail, footage from Spanish television channel Deportes Cuatro appeared to show the 29-year-old telling Spanish head coach Fernando Hierro ‘I told you’, following Koke’s penalty miss.
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The video also shows Costa, who didn’t take a penalty during the shootout as he was substituted late on in normal time, questioning his manager’s decision to allow Koke to take the third penalty kick prior to the shootout.
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas labelled the Koke’s penalty, which was saved by Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, as “one of the worst penalties you can have. Not in the middle, not on the side, halfway.”
Fabregas, who wasn't chosen in Spain's 23-man World Cup squad added: “It’s not difficult for the goalkeeper to save.”
Russia went on to win 4-3 in the shootout and reach the quarter finals of the World Cup for the first time in 48 years, with Koke and Diego Costa’s replacement Iago Aspas missing for Spain.
The 2010 World Cup winners were close to securing a spot in the final eight, but it will be Stanislav Cherchesov’s side that will face Croatia in the quarter finals on Saturday.
