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Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa will sit out the remainder of the season with suspension, after being handed two separate four-match bans by the Spanish FA for comments to a referee.

Costa's side lost 2-0 to Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Saturday, with late strikes from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez coming after the striker had been sent off in the first half for inappropriate comments directed at referee Gil Manzano. 

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According to the Independent, Spanish authorities have investigated the incident, and slapped the 30-year-old with two separate four match bans - one for his comments and one for grabbing  the referee's arm. 

He will now sit out Atletico's next eight matches, with the ban carrying over into the first game of next season.

Manzano's post-match report quotes Costa as saying: "I s**t on your w**** mother, I s**t on your w**** mother!"


Costa has also been fined €6000, and while Atletico have the power to appeal the ban, it seems unlikely that any such appeal would be upheld given the lack of potential new evidence. 

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Costa's teammate Koke, however, came to his defence, saying: “Something always happens to us when we come here. In the last 11 games, I think there have been seven red cards and not all of them have been fair.

"What we talk about stays inside the dressing room and no one has to know [what is said]."