A first home win of the new Premier League season gave Chelsea fans little to sing about, serving as the beginning to a testing week for the reigning English champions .
In the wake of an outing which saw two red cards shown to fierce rivals Arsenal, Diego Costa was charged and has subsequently been banned for three-matches due to violent conduct.
A highly-physical battle saw the star striker clash numerous times with defenders at Stamford Bridge during the 2-0 victory. With tension hanging in the air, tempers would boil over on the stroke of halftime when Gabriel finally had enough of the Spaniard’s antics and after heated words were exchanged between the pair, took a slight nudge with his heel at Costa’s knee. Unfortunately it was in plain sight of now-infamous referee Mike Dean, who gave the Arsenal youngster his marching orders.
The decision undoubtedly had a huge impact on the final result last weekend and Costa was immediately demonised for his own actions in the lead-up. Indeed, it did not take long for the FA to announce a review of the events and even quicker came the charges of violent conduct for an alleged slap at the face of Laurent Koscielny. Although intent is something hard to prove, the video evidence meant there was only ever really one likely outcome from the investigation and the 26-year-old handed a three-match suspension. Gabriel was given a one-match ban and ultimately had his red card rescinded.
Diego Costa has been suspended for 3-games for his actions against Arsenal. #CFC #AFC pic.twitter.com/DoshETG4oG
— Football__Tweet (@Football__Tweet) September 22, 2015
It is a verdict that leaves Chelsea without their first choice hitman for the upcoming Premier League clashes against Newcastle and Southampton, after sitting-out the midweek victory over Walsall. Costa was also retrospectively suspended for the same reason last season after a League Cup match with Liverpool.
Usually one to always take advantage of a media spotlight, Jose Mourinho now insists he cannot make any comments about referees and instead aimed a string of thinly-veiled criticisms at Arsene Wenger. Yet, he did express disbelief with what he sees as Gabriel’s retaliation on Costa being waved away.
“One of the things that was clear in football was that, when a player reacts to something that happened before – like [Nemanja] Matic reacting last season after a criminal tackle – that retaliation was always punished,” said the Portuguese manager.
“Now we know it isn’t always, you can do that.”
Adding to Mourinho’s off-field headaches is the long drawn-out saga with the now former-club doctor Eva Carneiro,
The manager was furious at the actions taken by his medical staff in the season’s first game against Swansea, entering the field to treat a downed Eden Hazard and therefore forcing the key playmaker momentarily to the sidelines late in the match with the scoreline 2-2. According to witnesses, Mourinho would question their “understanding of the game” and Carneiro would have the majority of her professional duties with the team removed by the ‘Special One’.
In a storyline set to reach an ugly conclusion reports suggest legal action is being taken after her resignation, while the FA are also conducting an investigation into evidence that suggests Carneiro was also verbally abused on the sideline during the match.
“Having recently been contacted by Eva, we have offered our full support in attempting to negotiate a satisfactory outcome. Unfortunately this has not resulted in our preferred outcome,” read a statement from the Football Medical Association.
“Chelsea considers this now to be an internal matter and it is for Chelsea and Eva’s appointed Lawyers to discuss any further action.”
Already having registered as many losses in the opening six games as the whole of last season, few distractions can be afforded as the Blues try to close the gap on the top of the table. As the team still tries to fully gel, Costa’s suspension will bring either Loic Remy or Radamel Falcao In for the coming domestic outings, yet the adjustment is made somewhat easier this weekend as they travel to St James’ Park to face the 19th placed Newcastle.
Only now just beginning to show signs that there may yet be some fire behind their title defence, there is never a lack of pressure hanging over the manager and all of the players at Stamford Bridge.
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