‘Diego Costa’s bib-throwing antics were petulant’ – Jamie Redknapp

Former Premier League footballer Jamie Redknapp has described Diego Costa as “petulant” after the Chelsea striker acted angrily to not being brought on during Sunday’s Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur.

The 27-year-old was named on the substitutes bench by manager Jose Mourinho at White Hart Lane for Sunday’s goalless draw against Spurs. After a warm-up on the sidelines, Costa removed his bib and chucked it towards Mourinho after learning that he was not coming on.

The Chelsea boss played down the incident after the game, but Redknapp believes that Costa showed ‘disrespect’. “Some will say [his antics] just shows how much he wants to play,” Redknapp wrote in his Daily Mail column. “For me, it’s petulant and disrespectful to the fans.

That’s not to say they won’t forgive him because we’ve all seen a lot worse in football, but it’s poor behaviour and they deserve better. “Costa should learn from the discipline shown by his teammates because I’m sure Mourinho can’t be too happy with his conduct, and if Mourinho is looking for any kind of reason to edge him out, then this is exactly the kind of behaviour that will go against him.”

Costa joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2014, but has struggled to recreate his scintillating form from last season.