Chelsea's Diego Costa has more self-control with defenders - Courtois
Thibaut Courtois says Diego Costa is showing greater self-control when it comes to provocation from opposition defenders, and insists the striker's onfield clash with Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte was nothing more than a "storm in a teacup."
Costa has found some of the best form of his Chelsea career since Conte's arrival at Stamford Bridge, netting nine goals in 13 appearances this season to surge to the top of the Premier League scoring charts, while also registering three assists.
Four bookings in his first six Premier League matches have also left the Spain international knowing that one more yellow card before Dec. 31 would result in an automatic one-match suspension from the Football Association, but he has since steered clear of trouble in his last five games.
It is a run of matches that has seen Chelsea take maximum points, scoring 16 goals without conceding to rise to second in the Premier League, and Courtois believes the Blues are benefiting from Costa's improved discipline.
"In the last few games, Diego has controlled himself better when facing provocation from a defender," Courtois told COPE.
"But Diego is a winner and I always prefer to have a player like that on my team. There was one day [earlier in the season] when he was already on a yellow card, and I had to send him to the dressing room as he was heading to talk to the referee."
The only bump in Costa's productive relationship with Conte came during a 3-0 win over Leicester City at Stamford Bridge last month, when the player grew agitated with the Chelsea bench in the second half and appeared to signal that he wanted to be substituted.
Sources told ESPN FC after the match that Costa's issue was related to feeling a minor injury, while reports elsewhere claimed he had grown frustrated with Conte's instructions from the touchline.
Courtois, however, is adamant that the issue was nothing serious.
"It was a storm in a teacup between two people who want the best for the team," he said. "This happens thousands of times, afterwards you hug and make up in the dressing room and it is all over."
Costa has been persistently linked with a move back to Atletico Madrid during his time at Stamford Bridge, and on Monday posted a picture on social media of himself enjoying a meal with former manager Diego Simeone.
Gran reencuentro y grandes recuerdos @simeone
A photo posted by Diego Costa (@diego.costa) on
Chelsea have never wavered in their stance that the 28-year-old is not for sale.