Chelsea must end Costa conflict immediately – it could cost them a Premier League title
Chelsea can’t afford to fight with Diego Costa
Just two short weeks ago, Chelsea appeared to be steamrolling the rest of their Premier League en route to a convincing title run. Now, after one loss to Tottenham and one tantrum for Diego Costa things look much differently at Stamford Bridge.
The situation with the controversial striker have taken a turn for the worst today. Manager Antonio Conte has banished Costa to train on his own for the foreseeable future. Reports suggest that his teammates are desperate for their striker to apologize to Conte and return to the first team.
Costa’s antics are the biggest threat to Chelsea’s title hopes. The club can survive without him on the pitch, but they can’t afford for his status to become a big distraction. The weekly uncertainty of whether or not Costa will be a part of the squad could cause the performance of his teammates to take a significant dip.
Immediately, the conflict with Costa becomes Conte’s biggest challenge. Fortunately for the Chelsea boss, he enjoys the full support of owner Roman Abramovich. The Blues’ owner is fully committed to holding Costa to the terms of his current contract. Abramovich is one of the few Premier League owners with enough financial resources to let a player like Costa rot on the bench.
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While he can afford the financial hit of not playing Costa, Abramovich would be foolish to let the situation fester. Dispatching Costa off to the football wilderness of China isn’t an ideal solution, but it’s far better than letting him infect the squad at Stamford Bridge with his bad attitude.
Ultimately, I expect Chelsea to find a quick solution for Costa’s current drama. The enigmatic striker has a history of intense, but brief conflicts with managers and teammates. There’s no reason to think he’s really going to settle in for a long-term dispute now.
The wild card here is Conte’s involvement. The manager’s adoption of a no-nonsense policy with his striker could back Costa into a corner. If Costa doesn’t feel like he has any options, he could dig his heels in and become a real problem.
Next: Can United take advantage of Chelsea drama?
No matter what, Chelsea need to make sure their Costa problem doesn’t become a long-term issue. If it does, it could cost the club the Premier League title they covet so desperately.