Former Chelsea striker Diego Costa has hit out at ex-Blues boss Antonio Conte following their spectacular falling out during his time at the club. The striker was central to the Blues' most recent league triumph in the 2016-17 season but left the club immediately afterwards.
Currently a free agent, Costa was a guest on former teammate John Obi Mikel's ObiOne podcast, where he shed light on how Conte was as a person. He accused the Italian tactician of being an unpleasant person, leading players to not enjoy training with him and eventually causing his tenure at the club to be short.
"He's a person who doesn't trust others, He thinks he knows everything. You don't enjoy training with him. He's always angry, always with a long face. The players wanted to come back but nobody liked him and that's why he didn't last long", he said (via SportBible).
Antonio Conte joined Chelsea in the summer of 2016 and galvanised a side that had limped to a disappointing title defence in the 2015-16 season. The former Juventus boss brought life to the club with his revolutionary 3-4-3 system, with Diego Costa finding his best form in the first half of the season.
With Chelsea firmly in the race for the league title, Costa reportedly handed in a transfer request in January, seeking a move to big-spenders China. The club denied him a move before Contenvut him loose with a text message ahead of the 2017-18 season. The manager, himself, left the club at the end of the season after failing to replicate the success of his debut campaign in charge.
Former Chelsea star tastes defeat on return to Stamford Bridge
Former Chelsea defender David Luiz was at the receiving end of a defeat as he returned to Stamford Bridge for the first time since leaving the club. The former Brazil international was an unused substitute for Cypriot side Pafos in their narrow 1-0 defeat to the Blues in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
Luiz picked up an injury and was forced off early in Pafos' league game at the weekend, making him doubtful for the game against his former employers. He made the trip to London but was deemed to be unfit to appear, and spent the whole game on the bench while Moises Caicedo scored the winner in the second half.
David Luiz played 248 times across two stints in Chelsea blue, winning six major trophies including the UEFA Champions League and two Europa League titles. He also won the Premier League title in his first season back at the club under Antonio Conte, and won two FA Cup crowns.