Diego Costa responds to Spanish media: ‘If I was a natural Spaniard my critics would say I had a good game’

Diego Costa believes he is unfairly criticised by the Spanish media and feels it happens because he is not Spanish by birth and does not play for Real Madrid or Barcelona.

An injury to Álvaro Morata saw Costa come off the bench in the first half of Spain’s 2-0 win away at Belgium in an international friendly on Thursday, and shortly after coming on he provided the lay-off for David Silva’s opening goal.

The 27-year-old has scored just one goal in 11 appearances for Spain since switching nationalities from his native Brazil in 2014, but defended his performance against Belgium.

“They criticise me a lot and if I played for Real Madrid or Barça and was a natural Spaniard they’d say I had a good game, possibly my best for the team,” Costa said on Thursday.

“I didn’t score but I can be useful to the team. I participated a lot in the game and I leave here happy, unlike in other games.“

Costa has had disciplinary breaches with his club Chelsea, including being banned for three games for stamping on Liverpool’s Emre Can last year, but has largely kept out of trouble while representing Spain.

“I haven’t done great things for Spain, I can’t lie, but when I play well they should say so. They criticise me for my character, but I also have quality,” said Costa.

Silva scored the second goal against Belgium from the penalty spot to round off a comfortable 2-0 win in coach Julen Lopetegui’s first game in charge since succeeding Vicente del Bosque.

Lopetegui recalling Costa after Del Bosque left him out of the squad for Euro 2016 was one of a number of eye-catching decisions the new coach made in his first squad announcement, including dropping the former captain Iker Casillas.

Spain begin their qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup at home to Liechtenstein on Monday and Costa said he is optimistic about his and the team’s fortunes under the former Porto and Spain Under-21 coach.

“A new era has started. I have faith in my team mates,” said Costa. “It’s true that I have unfinished business with scoring but today I felt good and the goals will come.

“I’d be more concerned if I didn’t have chances, but the team is creating them and that’s good. I will score soon.”

Diego Costa and Juan Mata back in Spain squad

New Spanish manager Julen Lopetegui has included Diego Costa and Juan Mata in his first 24-man squad for the internationals against Belgium and Liechtenstein after the Chelsea striker and the Manchester United playmaker were overlooked by Vicente Del Bosque in his Euro 2016 selection. Meanwhile, the new boss has decided to leave out Cesc Fabregas, Pedro Rodriguez and legend Iker Casillas, with West Ham number one Adrian San Miguel being selected between the sticks alongside David De Gea and Pepe Reina. Furthermore, Paco Alcacer also returns to the squad amid reports claiming he is set to move to Barcelona.

Spain will kick off a new era under Lopetegui with a friendly against Belgium on 1 September before hosting Liechtenstein in a World Cup qualifying tie four days later.

Del Bosque overlooked the Chelsea striker for Euro 2016 due to concerns over his fitness, opting instead for two number nines in Alvaro Morata and veteran Aritz Aduriz while also excluding the likes of Paco Alcacer. The decision seemed to have backfired as the Euro 2008 and 2012 champions were knocked out by Italy in the last 16 of the competition.

The former Real Madrid boss thus resigned from his position after the tournament, with former Spanish Under-21 manager Lopetegui replacing him. Many in Spain have urged the former Porto boss to overhaul the squad following the two consecutive disappointments in the World Cup 2014 and the Euro 2016. Lopetegui has thus decided to make a number of changes to the team that failed in France.

Costa, Mata Saul Niguez, Vitolo and Barcelona-bound Alcacer return to a 24-man squad without key Del Bosque players; Fabregas, Pedro and Juanfran. He has also named Pepe Reina and West Ham keeper Adrian as back-up for Manchester United's De Gea instead of Casillas and Sergio Rico.

Barcelona star Sergi Roberto is also preferred to Arsenal's Hector Bellerin in the right-back role while Dani Carvajal also returns after missing Euro 2016 through injury.

Andres Iniesta and Isco have also been left out of Lopetegui's first squad due to injuries but has rewarded Marco Asensio with his first call-up to the senior team after the Real Madrid starlet has proved to be one of the sensations of Spanish football in the first games of the new La liga campaign.

Costa: I'm marked by referees

Chelsea’s Diego Costa admits he didn’t know about the new Premier League rules

Diego Costa was unaware of new Premier League rules before Chelsea v West Ham.

Diego Costa booked…
One of the least surprising moments in Chelsea’s 2-1 win over West Ham was the fact that Diego Costa was booked for complaining to referee Anthony Taylor after just 19 minutes.

Costa would eventually score an 89th minute winner for Chelsea and was lucky to stay on the pitch with a pretty disgraceful challenge on West Ham keeper Adrian in the second half that did not see Taylor flash another yellow card.

“I’m finding this out now…”
But one of the more surprising aspects of the booking is that Costa did not know about the new Premier League rules, announced at the end of July.

These concern “dissent towards match officials”, which mean yellow cards will be issued to players who:

– Show visibly disrespectful behaviour to any match official

– Respond aggressively to decisions

– Confront an official face to face

– Run towards an official to contest a decision

Why did Chelsea not tell Costa about the new rules?
You would have imagined that Chelsea would have told Costa about these new rules and that they would have been drummed into him ahead of the big kick-off.

Perhaps Chelsea failed to do so as they expected the Brazilian-born Spanish striker to leave the club this summer?