Diego Costa has revealed the brutal reality of life under Jose Mourinho, exposing what was the greatest flaw of the former Chelsea manager.
Diego Costa’s three-seasons at Chelsea was a whirlwind of clinical finishing and chaotic aggression.
Arriving for £32 million in 2014, the striker transformed Chelsea’s attack, scoring 20 league goals in his debut season to secure a Premier League and League Cup double.
Despite his volatile temperament, which involved spats with defenders and the infamous bib-throwing incident with Jose Mourinho, Costa remained Chelsea’s most reliable talisman. And he repeated his 20-goal feat in 2016–17 under Antonio Conte, firing the club to a second title in three years.
However, Costa’s time ended abruptly in 2017 after a fallout with Conte via text message, departing with 59 goals and two league trophies to his name.
And he’s recently been speaking about his time at Chelsea, with Jose Mourinho the specific topic.
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Diego Costa highlights Jose Mourinho’s refusal to accept losses
Diego Costa is never afraid to throw anyone under the bus and Jose Mourinho is the latest.
Speaking to former Atletico Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez on YouTube, Costa shared the good and bad about his former manager.
“For me, he’s one of the best coaches I’ve had. Yes, if you’re going to win, he’s a beast. You enjoy it, you feel happy playing football.
“What’s the best and worst thing about Mourinho?”
“The best is that when he wins, you enjoy every moment. The problem was that he wasn’t used to losing ever. Because when he started as a coach, his career was always on a winning path. And he didn’t handle losses well; at most, he struggled the moment we dropped, but Cholo would always come to us and say, ‘We’re doing fine.’ He lied to us, so to speak. And Mourinho at that time, he didn’t have much patience.”
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Diego Costa’s Chelsea record under Jose Mourinho
Diego Costa was the missing piece of the puzzle for Jose Mourinho’s second stint at Chelsea, providing the focal point the manager had lacked since the departure of Didier Drogba.
Mourinho famously defended Costa’s style (Guardian), even when it led to retrospective bans, viewing the striker’s combative nature as essential to the team’s mental toughness.
However, the relationship was strained during the 2015/16 collapse. Costa returned for the title defense, notably out of shape, and his goal output dried up.
Despite the friction, Costa remains Mourinho’s most prolific striker of the modern era at Chelsea, averaging a goal nearly every two games under the Portuguese.
Diego Costa’s stats under Jose Mourinho Record
Appearances 57
Wins 33
Draws 12
Losses 12
Goals 25
Assists 7
Yellow Cards 15
Red Cards 0
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