Jose Mourinho not happy with striker’s ban

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has expressed his disappointment in the three-match ban on his striker Diego Costa.

Costa was handed the retrospective ban after the FA found the 26-year-old guilty of violent conduct in Chelsea’s Sunday, September 20, 2-0 victory over Arsenal.

The striker used his hands to claw at Laurent Koscielny’s face and later used his chest to bring down the defender.

Read: Diego Costa banned for three games

Mourinho is unhappy with the ban but refuses to make any comments so as not to be given the same punishment by the FA.

“Every time you lose a player it's not good for the team and easier to accept an injury,” Mourinho said, after Chelsea’s 4-1 win at Walsall in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday night.

“An injury is part of the game and we have to be mentally ready.

“But this kind of situation goes much, much, much, much more deeply and the team is hurting, obviously. I don't know if the squad can cope.

Read: Gabriel Paulista's red card rescinded

“The team has lost an important player for three matches and don't need to lose their manager. So I prefer to keep calm and quiet.

“If I bring examples and go deep and bring feelings into the discussion a big suspension will be waiting and I don't want that. The team doesn't need that.”

In the same game, Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista was shown a red card after he struck his leg backwards on Costa during an exchange of words between the duo.

Arsenal however appealed the sending off which was rescinded by the FA and Mourinho thinks that FA have proved 'retaliation is allowed'.

“We know something which is that retaliation is allowed now. You can do it.”

Watch the video of the Diego Costa incident, below: