Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published Tuesday, January 27, 2026, 10:23 / Updated Tuesday, January 27, 2026 10:31
Diego Costa (37), the former striker of Brazilian origin, makes revelations about his former coach at Chelsea. “You don't enjoy training with him. Conte is angry, always with a long face. Nobody appreciated him and that's why he didn't last long,” said the ex-international with 24 caps and 10 goals in the Spanish national team.
Diego Costa worked nine seasons ago with Antonio Conte at Chelsea and did not have fond memories of the Italian technician, now at Napoli. The striker, who retired at the beginning of last year, told a podcast with John Obi Mikel how the relationship was with the former manager of the Londoners.
The summer of 2017 saw one of the most controversial episodes in Chelsea's recent history. Although he had scored 20 goals in that Premier League season, in which the team from 'Stamford Bridge' won the title, Diego Costa had long had tensions with Antonio Conte.
Diego Costa: “Conte replied to my message with 'thank you for everything you've done at Chelsea, but I don't rely on you!'”
The Italian manager's strict discipline clashed with the striker's temperament, and Diego Costa provided details for the first time in a podcast with Obi Mikel, in which criticized Conte and told how the sudden departure from the club took place.
Martin Skrtel reproaches Diego Costa for his rough entries, the referee already has the “yellow” ready / Photo: Imago
42of matches Diego Costa played, scoring 22 goals and 7 goals in the 2016-2017 season. In total, the former striker registered 199 goals and 74 assists in 562 games for Braga, Penafiel, Atletico, Celta Vigo, Valladolid, Chelsea, Atletico Mineiro, Wolverhampton, Gremio and Botafogo
“I went on holiday and I had received an offer to renew my contract with Chelsea. I sent a message to Conte, who was the coach at the time. I told him: «Boss', I want to know if you count on me for the next season».
And he answered me: “Diego, thank you for everything you've done, but I don't rely on you!”. You must have felt something, because it is not normal for a coach not to rely on the team's goalscorer“, explained the Spanish-Brazilian.
Diego Costa did not disarm and went higher. I sent the message to Marina Granovskaia, the right hand of the owner Roman Abramovici. “She immediately told me it was impossible, that he wasn't the boss. I was in Brazil with my family and I told her that for everything I had done for the club, I didn't deserve to be treated like that.”
“Conte is a person who doesn't trust others, who thinks he knows everything. You don't enjoy training with him”
The telenovela continued and on June 7, 2017, after a friendly between Spain and Colombia, Diego Costa stopped in front of reporters, showed them the message and released the bombshell, exposing Conte's controversial personal decision!
Diego Costa had a controversial relationship with Diego Costa in the 2016-2017 season at Chelsea / Photo: Imago
“Conte is a person who doesn't trust others, who thinks he knows everything. You don't enjoy training with him. He's always angry, always with a long face. He probably doesn't have sex at home because he's a bitter guy.
It's a shame, because the titles he won at Chelsea he achieved with me… Nobody appreciated him and that's why he didn't last long at Chelsea”criticized Diego Costa without management.
