Diego Costa: Referees are obsessed with me
Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa has hit out at referees after he received a yellow card on Sunday. He was carded for protesting an offside decision in his side's 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Diego Costa has a reputation for pushing it when it comes to discipline. He lived up to this reputation once again after Atletico's victory over Bilbao on Sunday, criticising referees' treatment towards him in an interview after the game.
The striker was shown a yellow card just before half time, after remonstrating with the linesman about an offside call that went against him. The referee, Jose Luis Gonzalez, cautioned him for the reaction, much to Costa's displeasure.
"Some people are obsessed with me", he said, speaking to 'beIN Sports' after the game. "That can't be changed. I get booked for the smallest thing. Today he wanted to show me a card, and that is how it went."
A yellow card is somewhat tame by the Atletico man's standards, with the Spanish striker seeing red on his home debut for the club earlier this year, after jumping into the crowd to celebrate his goal. Costa moved back to the Madrid club in January after having fallen out with Antonio Conte, at his previous club Chelsea.
Despite his personal frustrations, Costa can have no complaints about his team's performance, with their victory taking them back within seven points of league leaders Barcelona, as they attempt to catch the Catalan club.