Manuel Pellegrini believes Diego Costa should change his on-field behaviour following the Chelsea striker’s three-match ban for stamping on Liverpool’s Emre Can.
The sanction means the Brazilian will not be able to face Pellegrini’s Manchester City side in Saturday’s key Premier League match at Stamford Bridge. The champions enter the game five points behind José Mourinho’s side so know Costa’s absence may offer them a better chance.
On Friday morning the Football Association announced Costa will serve a three-game suspension for the stamp after he lost an appeal.
Pellegrini believes Costa to be a fine centre-forward but does not need to use the game’s dark arts. “He is a great player. A very important player,” said the City manager. “He has his character, it is not an easy character but I hope for him, that this punishment, I am not trying to take advantage for the game tomorrow, I think it will be a good thing for him to change in the future because he doesn’t need to do it in that way because he is a very good player, a top player.”
Pressed if Pellegrini thinks Costa oversteps the mark, he said: “I just give my opinion.”
While the Chilean did not wish to speak about Mourinho’s current unhappiness – the Chelsea manager cancelled his Friday press conference and believes there is a “campaign” from media and managers to influence referees decisions against his team – Pellegrini did aim a barb at Chelsea when defending his squad’s trip to Abu Dhabi last week.
City arrived back from the emirate less than 24 hours before losing to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup. Yet after Chelsea were also knocked out, by Bradford City, Pellegrini said: “About last week, about Abu Dhabi, another club that didn’t travel to Abu Dhabi also lost in the FA Cup. It was not the reason we lost. This week was a normal week and we worked well.”
Of Mourinho Pellegrini said: “Don’t try to do a conflicting press conference because I was not going to help with nothing.”
Samir Nasri and Eliaquim Mangala are doubts for the trip to Chelsea. “There is a small problem with Samir Nasri coming back, I don’t know if he is 100% fit, we will see tomorrow with the doctor but he worked the last two days with the squad,” said Pellegrini of the Frenchman, who is recovering from a calf injury. “Mangala had a small problem with his shoulder today, we will see tomorrow. They are the only two small problems we have.”
Scott Sinclair has been loaned to Aston Villa until the end of the season.
