Costa behaviour ‘disgusting’, says Jamie Redknapp

Diego Costa: Having a frustrating season at Chelsea

Diego Costa: Having a frustrating season at Chelsea

Jamie Redknapp has labelled Chelsea striker Diego Costa’s recent behaviour as “disgusting”.

The TV pundit and former Liverpool man believes Jose Mourinho had no choice but to leave the striker on the bench again after his act of petulance in the recent draw at Spurs.

The Spain frontman was left out of the team at White Hart Lane and with with a few minutes left he took off his bib and threw it in the direction of Jose Mourinho, who was blissfully unaware.

Mourinho then decided to leave Costa on the subs bench again in the 1-0 home defeat by Bournemouth on Saturday, although he did replace Oscar at half-time and was booked immediately.

“When you think of Jose Mourinho teams, you think of Didier Drogba, you think of Costa last season,” Redknapp told the Daily Star.

“If someone had said Costa would be out of the team, falling out with the manager, you would have never believed it.

“He’s a volatile character, but I think the manager has almost made a statement.

“You cannot behave like that, I don’t care who you are, it’s so disrespectful to the manager and it sets the wrong example to all those players on the bench. It’s disgusting behaviour.

“I’m a big fan of him as a player, but at times like this he really lets himself down. No one likes to be sub, it’s not great, but you get on with it.”

Costa, like Chelsea, has struggled this season and has scored just just four goals in 18 appearances and admitted in October that he returned to pre-season training over-weight.