{"id":162018,"date":"2015-10-24T09:44:29","date_gmt":"2015-10-24T09:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=162018"},"modified":"2015-10-24T09:44:29","modified_gmt":"2015-10-24T09:44:29","slug":"diego-costa-i-am-no-angel-but-will-not-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2015\/10\/diego-costa-i-am-no-angel-but-will-not-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Diego Costa: I am \u2018no angel\u2019 but will not change"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chelsea striker Diego Costa has told Football Focus he knows he is \u201cno angel\u201d on the pitch and he will not change his combative style of football.<\/p>\n

Costa has twice been banned for three games this year \u2013 after stamping on Liverpool\u2019s Emre Can and for a clash with Arsenal\u2019s Laurent Koscielny.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got this far thanks to the way I play the game,\u201d said the 27-year-old Brazil-born Spain international.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to change that because of what people may think of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Give no quarter, ask for none\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Costa moved to Stamford Bridge in July 2014 from Atletico Madrid, and helped Chelsea win the Premier League and League Cup last season.<\/p>\n

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has suggested Costa shouldtone down his aggressive side, while Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger accused the forward of always being \u201cinvolved in provocation\u201d.<\/p>\n

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque, meanwhile, described Costa\u2019s conduct during Chelsea\u2019s 2-0 win over the Gunners in September as\u201cunedifying\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\"Chelsea<\/p>\n

Chelsea striker Diego Costa (right) clashes with Arsenal defender Gabriel earlier this season (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI think that football has always had a passionate, aggressive side, with players giving their all,\u201d said Costa. \u201cPeople have to get used to this.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people seem to think football is like theatre, and that everyone has to play the good guy.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I think that you transform when you cross the white line, you\u2019re not the same person as off it. I give no quarter and I ask for none. Out there I\u2019m going to fight for my team and do the best I can.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfterwards, when the match is over, I have my family and my friends. I have fun like a normal person. But on the pitch don\u2019t try and put wings on me, as I am no angel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tough tackling \u2018part of the game\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Costa scored 20 times for Chelsea in 2014-15 but has managed just three goals so far this season.<\/p>\n

He believes English referees give players less protection than their Spanish counterparts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI receive fouls that would result in yellow or red cards in Spain, but here it\u2019s seen as part of the game,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe countries have different footballing theories. But I\u2019m not going to start complaining.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my job to adapt to the culture and the way the game is played here, not to complain. I think that my efforts are there for all to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Costa\u2019s record<\/h2>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n

Season<\/th>\nClub<\/th>\nLeague goals\/games<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
2007-08<\/td>\nCelta Vigo<\/td>\n6 in 30 games<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2008-09<\/td>\nAlbacete<\/td>\n10 in 34<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2009-10<\/td>\nReal Valladolid<\/td>\n8 in 32<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2010-11<\/td>\nAtletico Madrid<\/td>\n6 in 13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2011-12<\/td>\nRayo Vallecano<\/td>\n10 in 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2012-13<\/td>\nAtletico Madrid<\/td>\n10 in 24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2013-14<\/td>\nAtletico Madrid<\/td>\n27 in 34<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2014-15<\/td>\nChelsea<\/td>\n20 in 26<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

No arguments at Chelsea<\/strong><\/p>\n

Defending champions Chelsea are 12th in the Premier League table, 10 points behind leaders Manchester City.<\/p>\n

The Blues face West Ham on Saturday (15:00 BST kick-off), and Costa says his team\u2019s struggles are not down to a fragmented dressing room.<\/p>\n

\u201cThings aren\u2019t going so well for the team right now, but it\u2019s not because of the changing room,\u201d said Costa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe atmosphere is great. During the year I\u2019ve spent here, there hasn\u2019t been one argument. There are normally disagreements in all changing rooms, but it hasn\u2019t happened here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Costa said manager Jose Mourinho predicted Chelsea\u2019s difficulties in defending their title, with other teams \u201cupping their game\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore the season started, the coach warned us,\u201d he said. \u201cWe had a meeting with him and he warned us about our mentality.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur coach is very clever \u2013 he saw the situation we are in at the moment before it happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

What about Mourinho?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mourinho has denied reports of a rift between him and certain Chelsea players, saying there are \u201czero\u201d problems.<\/p>\n

Costa said: \u201cWhat has surprised me with Mourinho is the affinity he has with his players.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone talks about Mourinho\u2019s image on the touchline, how serious and even arrogant he is.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he really has an affinity with his players in the changing room, on a day-to-day basis.\u201d<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

Source: BBC<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chelsea striker Diego Costa has told Football Focus he knows he is \u201cno angel\u201d on the pitch and he will not change his combative style of football. Costa has twice been banned for three games this year \u2013 after stamping on Liverpool\u2019s Emre Can and for a clash with Arsenal\u2019s Laurent Koscielny. \u201cI\u2019ve got this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":162019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[29,3],"yoast_head":"\nDiego Costa: I am \u2018no angel\u2019 but will not change - Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. 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