Chelsea face the prospect of playing Saturday’s Premier League title showdown with Manchester City without Diego Costa after the striker was charged with violent conduct.
Costa faces an immediate three-match ban for his apparent stamp on Liverpool defender Emre Can in Tuesday night’s League Cup semi-final second leg win.
The incident happened in close proximity to the dugouts, but was missed by the match officials.
It was reviewed on video by referee Michael Oliver yesterday, with the charge following as part of the Football Association’s fast-tracked procedures.
Costa, who faces no action for a similar incident involving Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel, has until 18:00 (22:00 UAE time) today to respond to the charge.
If Costa denies the charge, the appeal will be heard on Friday, but he would require the appeal commission to side with him in order to face City.
Either way, there will be a reso lution before Saturday’s contest at Stamford Bridge where Chelsea’s lead from City at the top of the Premier League could extend to eight points, or fall to two.
As the League Cup is a Football League competition, the disciplinary process differs slightly from Premier League match where a three-man panel of former referees would decide whether he should be charged.
Referee Oliver was asked by the FA whether he or any of the officials saw the incident and, as they did not, footage was reviewed to determine if a sending-off offence had occurred.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who earlier yesterday was fined £25,000 (Dh139,000) for claiming there was a “clear campaign” against Chelsea, has insisted both stamps were “absolutely accidental” before adding: “He goes to the ball, he chases it, the opponent goes to the floor and he puts his foot there when he is looking at the ball.”
A three-match ban would rule Costa out of the City clash, as well as matches with Everton and Aston Villa. There is no right of appeal.
