‘That manager’ – Diego Costa seemingly takes swipe at Antonio Conte

Diego Costa has insisted that he always had a good relationship with the Chelsea fans and it was only Antonio Conte he did not get along with.

Costa was a key member of Chelsea’s title-winning squad under Conte during the 2016-17 season, with the Blues beating Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham to the prize towards the end of the season.

However, the striker fell out with the Italian the subsequent summer, even suggesting at the time that he was being treated like a criminal (Independent) – an accusation that Conte simply laughed off (BeanyManSports).

Costa returned to the Premier League this summer after five seasons, with the striker completing a move to Wolves on a free transfer.

The 34-year-old returned to Stamford Bridge for the first time on Saturday since leaving the club, with Wolves being on the end of a 3-0 loss to Graham Potter’s men.

Costa received a good reception from Chelsea fans, and he subsequently spoke about the circumstances of his departure from the West London club after the game.

The Wolves star said (via Football.London): “I’ve never had a problem with the fans.

“I left in bad terms with *that* manager, I left a champion for the second time, and he didn’t count on me. That was nothing I could do. I had to leave. Today showed that I did not leave on bad terms with the fans.

“It’s very special. It’s the feeling that in the time that you spent here, you did good work and left good memories. Chelsea fans always treated me very well. I was always surprised by the way they treated me. It’s satisfying.”

Spurs Web Opinion

While Conte would have liked Costa’s qualities as a player, given the striker’s aggression, it is fairly easy to guess why the relationship between the pair broke down.

The Italian is someone who demands that all of his players are completely professional and fully buy into his methods while discipline has never been Costa’s strong suit.

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