REUTERS - Diego Costa has accused Chelsea of treating him like a "criminal" in a forthright newspaper interview which will deepen the breach with the Premier League club. Costa was interviewed at home in Brazil on the same day Chelsea lost their opening Premier League game to Burnley, and said he was refusing the club's demand to return to play with the reserves. The Brazilian-born Spain international, who joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in 2014, said if the club did not allow him to move before the transfer window he was prepared to see out his contract unpaid in Brazil. "I am open to being a year in Brazil without playing, even if Chelsea fine me for a year and don't pay me. Last week Conte said there was "no news" on the Costa situation but earlier this summer said the "situation is closed."

Source: Economic Times August 14, 2017 09:22 UTC