Chelsea maverick Diego Costa has gone viral after posting on social media about his old Liverpool adversary Martin Skrtel, following their bust-up during a Legends match on Saturday afternoon. The two Premier League clubs regularly roll back the years during international breaks as a way of raising money for their respective foundations, with all proceeds going toward tackling issues in their local communities.
In March, the two teams met with Peter Crouch scoring twice in a 2-0 win for Liverpool, and they renewed their rivalry over the weekend as thousands packed into Stamford Bridge. The likes of Ramires, John Terry, and Petr Cech turned out for the west Londoners, while Robbie Keane featured for Liverpool in what is usually a light-hearted occasion given its charitable purpose.
However, anyone who expected a mellow performance from Costa couldn’t have been more mistaken. Though not as quick as he once was, the 37-year-old still flew into tackles with the same intensity he showed between 2014 and 2017. Constantly in the referee’s ear, his fiery attitude gave way to him trading perpetual blows with Skrtel - just like the good old days. Watch the incident below:
Diego Costa's Social Media Post After Martin Skrtel Battle Goes Viral
diego costa
Charity matches usually come with a forecast of raining goals - take Soccer Aid as an example, which ended 5-4 this year. But when it comes to Chelsea and Liverpool, their retired stars just can’t seem to bury the hatchet from their playing days. There’s always a bit more needle when these two sides dig up their old rivalry.
And if you think Costa’s antics on Saturday afternoon were all part of an act, you’d be sorely mistaken. The former Spain international treats every game like a cup final once he’s got his studs on. That said, long after the final whistle - in a match where he was the only player to receive a yellow card - he was able to laugh it off. See his Instagram post below:
The Chelsea–Liverpool grudge matches of the early to mid-2000s - when Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho were constantly at each other’s throats - have never really died down. In recent years, the rivalry has only been rekindled, with the two sides meeting regularly in cup finals, where the Reds have claimed two League Cups and an FA Cup.
Brendan Rodgers and Jose Mourinho
Back in Costa’s prime, though, the Blues were far superior to Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool. Costa earned two Premier League winners’ medals and played a huge role in both triumphs, at a time when Liverpool were still wrestling with a league title drought that would take a few more years to finally nip in the bud.
Off the pitch, however, the Scousers always knew how to get under Costa’s skin - famously serenading him with the “Elephant Man” chant that broke the internet during a League Cup semi-final at Anfield in 2015.