Diego Costa: Chelsea striker handed additional one-match ban for Everton red card

The controversial striker saw red for the first time during his side's FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Everton

Mark Critchley
Friday 01 April 2016 14:06 BST
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Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been handed an additional one-match ban and fined £20,000 by the Football Association after admitting to a charge of improper conduct following his dismissal at Everton last month.

The controversial Brazilian-born Spain international, who has also been warned over his future conduct, was sent off for the first time since arriving in English football during his side's 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Goodison Park.

Costa, who was found not to have bitten Everton midfielder Gareth Barry and made an inappropriate gesture to the home support, was originally given an automatic two-match ban, which ruled him out of the 2-2 draw with West Ham United and Saturday's trip to Aston Villa.

The 27-year-old striker, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2014, will now also miss Chelsea's visit to Swansea City on 9 April.

"Following an independent regulatory commission hearing on Thursday (March 31, 2016), Chelsea's Diego Costa has been given a one-match suspension, fined £20,000 and warned as to his future conduct," an FA statement read.

"The forward admitted a charge of improper conduct in relation to his behaviour after he was shown a second yellow card in the FA Cup sixth-round tie on March 12, 2016 at Goodison Park. This suspension will follow immediately on the conclusion of the player's current ban."

Costa has re-emerged as one of Chelsea's key players following the dismissal of former manager Jose Mourinho and appointment of interim coach Guus Hiddink, scoring 11 goals in his last 16 games for the club.

Although his red card at Goodison Park was the first Costa had received during his time in England, it was considered to be his second dismissal of the season after he was given a retrospective three-match ban for altercations with Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel during a home victory over Arsenal last September.

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