Diego Costa reignites war with ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte
Diego Costa has reignited his long-running feud with former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, making explosive claims about the Italian's time at Stamford Bridge. The Brazilian striker, who played a crucial role in Chelsea's 2016-17 Premier League title triumph under Conte, has now revealed that "nobody liked him" during his tenure.
The breakdown of a title-winning partnership
Costa was instrumental in Chelsea's record-breaking title victory during Conte's first season in charge, scoring 22 goals as the Blues embarked on a remarkable 14-game winning run. However, the relationship between manager and striker deteriorated rapidly after the championship was secured.
"He is a person who doesn't trust others," Costa stated on the Obi One podcast. "He thinks he knows everything. You don't enjoy training with him, he's always angry, always with a long face."
The infamous text message that ended a Chelsea career
The situation reached its breaking point during the summer of 2017 when Conte famously informed Costa via text message that he was no longer part of Chelsea's plans. The message reportedly read: "Hi Diego, I hope you are well. Thanks for the season we spent together. Good luck for the next year but you are not in my plan."
This communication came amid strong interest from the Chinese Super League and preceded Conte's move to sign Alvaro Morata as Costa's replacement. The striker eventually returned to Atletico Madrid, but the bad blood between the two figures has clearly persisted.
Contrasting management styles: Conte versus Mourinho
In stark contrast to his criticism of Conte, Costa offered glowing praise for Jose Mourinho, who originally brought him to Chelsea in 2014. The pair won both the Premier League and Carabao Cup during their first season together.
"For me, Mourinho, personally, was the coach that I enjoyed the most," Costa revealed. "This is because he gives you life. You come to training happy."
The aftermath for both parties
Conte's second season at Chelsea proved to be his last, with the team finishing fifth and missing out on Champions League qualification despite an FA Cup victory. Costa, meanwhile, has continued his career with spells at Atletico Madrid, Wolves, Botafogo, and most recently Gremio, where his contract expired earlier this month.
The veteran forward's comments provide a revealing insight into the dressing room dynamics during Conte's tenure and highlight the contrasting management approaches that can make or break player-manager relationships at the highest level of football.
