Diego Costa has been officially banned for three GAMES
after being found guilty of stamping on the Liverpool defender Emre Can and will now miss Saturday’s title showdown against Manchester City.
after being found guilty of stamping on the Liverpool defender Emre Can and will now miss Saturday’s title showdown against Manchester City.
The Football Association said in a statement: “Diego Costa will serve a with immediate effect after a charge of violent conduct against him was found proven by an independent regulatory commission on Friday 30 January 2015.
“The Chelsea forward had denied the charge in relation to an on-field incident involving Liverpool’s Emre Can which occurred in the 12th minute of the League Cup semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday 27 January 2015.
“The incident was not seen by the match officials but caught on video.”
Costa was accused of deliberately stamping on Can though the Spain striker was spared an additional charge after the FA ruled that a second, alleged stamp on Martin Skrtel was accidental. His manager José Mourinho argued after the GAME that the flashpoints had been “absolutely accidental”.
that the flashpoints had been “absolutely accidental”.
Costa, who has scored 17 goals in 19 league GAMES after joining Chelsea for £32m, is likely to be replaced by Didier Drogba for the Saturday evening title showdown at Stamford Bridge. He will now miss the matches against City, Aston Villa and Everton.
after joining Chelsea for £32m, is likely to be replaced by Didier Drogba for the Saturday evening title showdown at Stamford Bridge. He will now miss the matches against City, Aston Villa and Everton.
Victory over City for Chelsea, who enter the weekend with a five-point lead over the holders, would give them an eight-point advantage with 15 GAMES to go.
to go.
Chelsea went into lockdown following the incident with Mourinho cancelling the media conference he was due to hold on Friday to preview the match against City.
Mourinho was fined £25,000 on Wednesday morning after the FA ruled he had overstepped the line in claiming there was a “campaign” against Chelsea and, later in the day, the governing body brought the charge against Costa, following Tuesday night’s stormy Capital One Cup semi-final against Liverpool, which Chelsea won.
SOURCE THE GUARDIAN UK