Chelsea striker Diego Costa is contesting the Football Association’s charge for violent conduct — a move which has the full support of the club.
The Spain international is facing an immediate three-match ban for his apparent stamp on the Liverpool’s Emre Can during Tuesday’s League Cup semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Costa has until 6pm to respond to the charge of violent conduct and it is understood the striker will be contesting.
The Costa incident - one of several during an action-packed 120 minutes - happened in close proximity to the dugouts, but was missed by the match officials. It was subsequently reviewed on video by referee Michael Oliver, with the charge following as part of the FA’s fast-tracked procedures.
The fate of Costa’s appeal will be known on Friday, while there is a possibility it could even be decided late on Thursday. Either way, there will be a resolution before Saturday’s mouth-watering contest with title rivals City - a match Chelsea have announced they will not be holding a press conference ahead of.
Manager Jose Mourinho will not be put into the crossfire ahead of the Stamford Bridge encounter, which comes just days after being fined £25,000 for claiming there was a “clear campaign” against his side. Those comments came following the draw at Southampton on December 28th, with the Portuguese making similar comments after Tuesday’s 1-0 win against Liverpool when defending Costa.
“I don’t know what you understand by stamp,” Mourinho said. “I think maybe you are already influenced by . . . I’m going to use a word which put me in trouble but I think this time I cannot be punished to say that there is a campaign on the television with a certain pundit that is saying Diego Costa ‘crimes’. This guy must be nuts.
“I saw the incidents. About the penalty, I don’t speak. I prefer not to speak. If I comment I will be in trouble and I don’t want to be. What you call stamps and Sky calls crimes, I have to say absolutely accidental. He goes to the ball, he chases the ball, as the opponent is on the floor, they have a contact, he puts his foot there when he’s looking to the ball.”
The move to avoid the pre-match press conference may be a sensible decision, but it could prove costly for Chelsea. Rule K.95 of the Premier League handbook states each club must ensure their manager attends a press conference with broadcasters and, at their discretion, other representatives of the media on a Thursday or Friday before a weekend game “save for exceptional circumstances, to be managed and monitored by the league”.
It is understood the Premier League will write to Chelsea and ask for their observations in the wake of this week’s no-show, with a fine a possible outcome.
