FIFA fines WEST HAM over SAKHO

<h2 style="-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 560px;"><img src="http://soccerblitz.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Diafra-Sakho_3256177-620x400.jpg" /></h2><h2 style="-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 560px;">West Ham have paied £71,000 for fielding Diafra Sakho in the FA Cup win over Bristol City despite telling Senegal the striker was unfit.</h2><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The club have also been reprimanded but they will be allowed to continue to play in this year’s competition.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sakho, 25, had been due to join up with his national side at the Africa Cup of Nations but the Hammers informed the Senegalese FA that injury would prevent him from travelling to the tournament.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">On January 25, Sakho came off the substitutes’ bench to score the only goal of the tie at Ashton Gate – prompting protest from the Senegalese authorities.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A FIFA statement read: “FIFA can today confirm the decisions of its Disciplinary Committee in the case involving the English club West Ham United and the player Diafra Sakho.</div><blockquote style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 1px; color: #777777; font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; line-height: 22px; margin: 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Diafra Sakho was called up by the Senegalese Football Association on 18 December 2014 to play for Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations 2015 taking place in Equatorial Guinea between 17 January and 8 February 2015, as well as to attend the training camp of the said representative team from 5-16 January 2015 in Morocco.</em></strong></div><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The Senegalese FA was informed by West Ham United that Sakho was prevented from playing and travelling by plane due to injury and thus he did not join the Senegal team.</em></strong></div></blockquote><blockquote style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 1px; color: #777777; font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; line-height: 22px; margin: 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">On 25 January 2015, the player took part in an official match for his club West Ham United. Senegal were eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations 2015 on 27 January 2015.</em></strong></div><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“In view of the above and in accordance with art. 6 par. 1 of Annexe 1 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (hereinafter the Regulations), disciplinary proceedings were opened against the player and the club for a potential violation of Annexe 1 of the Regulations.</em></strong></div><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has found the club and the player to have violated art. 5 of Annexe 1 of the Regulations in relation to the match played by Sakho on 25 January 2015. The club has been fined CHF 100,000 in accordance with art. 10 c) and art. 15 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and issued with a reprimand, while the player has been sanctioned with a reprimand in accordance with art. 10 b) and art. 14 of the FDC.</em></strong></div><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The terms of the decisions were notified to the relevant parties today.”</em></strong></div></blockquote><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Both Sakho and West Ham have been cleared to play in the next round as scheduled, where Sam Allardyce’s side face West Brom.</div>

FIFA fines WEST HAM over SAKHO

West Ham have paied £71,000 for fielding Diafra Sakho in the FA Cup win over Bristol City despite telling Senegal the striker was unfit. The...

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COSTA: I’VE DONE NOTHING WRONG

<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; line-height: 25.602560043335px;"><br /></span><img src="http://chelseaseason.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/diego-costa.jpg" /><br /><a name="more"></a><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; line-height: 25.602560043335px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; line-height: 25.602560043335px;">Chelsea striker Diego Costa insists there was no malicious intent behind the stamp on Emre Can which earned him a three-match ban from the Football Association.</span><br /><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25.602560043335px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The 26-year-old was suspended for three games for violent conduct by the FA after an independent regulatory commission on Friday ruled he deliberately stamped on the ankle of the Liverpool midfielder in Tuesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final second leg.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25.602560043335px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Costa says he accepts and respects the punishment, but stresses he did not set out to hurt his opponent.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25.602560043335px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“As far as what happened on Tuesday, the main thing is when I get home I can go home and I can go to sleep knowing that I’ve not done anything wrong, because I never meant to do that and it was not on purpose,” he told the Daily Telegraph.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25.602560043335px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“And you can clearly see that on the video. But it is a suspension. I have to accept that, I have to take it. Obviously I feel sad because I’m not going to be able to help the team, to play. But I have accept it and respect it.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25.602560043335px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I’m not saying I’m an angel. I’m no angel. You can see that. But every time I play I will play the same way because that’s the way I am. That’s what I need to do in order to support my family. That’s my bread and butter. Also, that’s what I need to do for this club and for the fans of this club, for the supporters and for all the people involved in this club.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25.602560043335px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“On the pitch I will always be like that. That’s my character and I will always compete and compete – always. I’m a different guy off the pitch, as you can see, but on the pitch I will not change. And I want to say this again: you can look at the video and interpret it however you want, but I know when I get home I can sleep in peace because I know I didn’t mean to do it.”</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25.602560043335px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Costa and Chelsea have no right to appeal, with the immediate ban meaning the forward missed Saturday evening’s 1-1 draw against Manchester City and will also sit out matches against Aston Villa and Everton.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25.602560043335px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The former Atletico Madrid hitman believes the game has changed – not for the better – meaning less contact is allowed these days, but vowed not to change his style of play.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25.602560043335px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I’m always loyal, I always go 100 per cent, I always go on the limit but I think the people that think that I am a violent player, it’s because they interpret football a different way; they see it in a different way,” he said. “Back in the old days there used to be way more contact and a lot of things that were permitted. These days everyone is looking at it and I don’t think that is good for the game.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 16.0016002655029px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25.602560043335px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I have a go at defenders and they have a go at me. We argue. Whatever happens on the pitch stays on the pitch. After the game I shake hands with the defender. Job done, I go home, he goes home. We’re all mates. It’s all good. That’s how I see football. That’s how I play football. I’m not going to change it – football is a contact sport.”</div>

COSTA: I’VE DONE NOTHING WRONG

Chelsea striker Diego Costa insists there was no malicious intent behind the stamp on Emre Can which earned him a three-match ban from the F...

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Diego Costa Hammered with 3 match Ban

<img src="http://static.goal.com/876700/876712_heroa.jpg" /><br />Chelsea<br /><a name="more"></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;"> striker </span>Diego Costa<span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;"> has been banned for three matches by the Football Association after failing with his appeal against a violent conduct charge for a stamp on </span><span style="background-color: white;">Liverpool's</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;"> </span>Emre Can<span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;"> on Tuesday.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">Spain international Costa was challenging for the ball by the touchline in the first half of the second-leg League Cup semi-final tie at Stamford Bridge when he forcefully stood on Can's shin.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">The incident went unpunished during the match, which Chelsea won 1-0 to progress 2-1 on aggregate, as referee Michael Oliver did not see the challenge. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">The FA subsequently charged Costa with violent conduct, a decision the player contested.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">However, an FA Independent Regulatory Commission has now chosen to uphold the original ruling and handed out a three-match ban.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">"Diego Costa will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect after a charge of violent conduct against him was found proven by an Independent Regulatory Commission on Friday 30 January 2015," an FA statement read.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">"The Chelsea forward had denied the charge in relation to an on-field incident involving Liverpool's Emre Can which occurred in the 12th minute of the League Cup semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday 27 January 2015.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">"The incident was not seen by the match officials but caught on video."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">The news is a huge blow to Chelsea ahead of Saturday's top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">Costa is also set to miss out on the trip to Aston Villa on February 7 and the home match with Everton four days later.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho defended Costa after the game and the ban is sure to irk the Portuguese, who stated the coming together with Can was "accidental".</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">Mourinho said: "Maybe you [the media] are already influenced by the campaign on the television with certain pundits saying that Costa has crimes - they must be nuts, the guy who says that.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">"I have to say that he goes for the ball, he chases it, the opponent [Can] goes to the floor and he puts his foot there when he is looking at the ball... What you call stamps, and Sky calls crimes, I have to say accidental."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers took a different view of the incident, and called for the FA to take action.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">"These things happen in the game but I think anyone watching it would not like to see what we've seen Diego Costa do," Rodgers told Sky Sports.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">"Not just on Martin Skrtel but on Emre Can, a young player who was clearly stamped on. You don't want to see that. There's no need for it."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">Costa has proven an instant hit at Stamford Bridge, scoring 17 Premier League goals since joining in a big-money move from Atletico Madrid in the close-season.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">However, his on-field behaviour has come under the spotlight due to Costa picking up eight bookings in all competitions, including a caution in a 6-3 win at Everton in August where he squared up to goalkeeper Tim Howard.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;" /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px;">Goal.com</span>

Diego Costa Hammered with 3 match Ban

Chelsea  striker  Diego Costa  has been banned for three matches by the Football Association after failing with his appeal against a violent...

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Chelsea striker charged for alleged stamp by FA

<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" itemprop="description" style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.462em; line-height: 1.11; margin-top: 20px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><img src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/80588000/jpg/_80588219_diego_costa_emre_can_epa.jpg" /></div><a name="more"></a><br /><div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" itemprop="description" style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.462em; line-height: 1.11; margin-top: 20px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;">Diego Costa has been charged for violent conduct after an alleged stamp following the Capital One Cup semi-final with Liverpool on Tuesday.</div><div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 1.35; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;">The Chelsea striker, 26, faces a three-match ban for his challenge on defender Emre Can during the 1-0 victory.</div><div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 1.35; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;">The Spaniard could miss Saturday's league match with Manchester City at Stamford Bridge if he is found guilty.</div><div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 1.35; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;">He has until 18:00 GMT on Thursday to respond to the Football Association's charge.</div><div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 1.35; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;">He is being charged for the first of two alleged stamps that were not seen by referee Michael Oliver.</div><div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 1.35; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;">He also appeared to stand on central defender Martin Skrtel in the Liverpool penalty box in the second half.</div><div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 1.35; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;">The first-half incident involving Can took place close to the technical area and prompted an angry response from the Liverpool player.</div><div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 1.35; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;">Reds manager Brendan Rodgers said at his post-match press conference:"He could easily hurdle over the young player and he directs his studs right on to his ankle, which could've been nasty."</div><div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 1.35; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;">Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said after the game that he feels the Brazil-born Spain international is being targeted unfairly.</div><div style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 1.35; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;">The Blues, who won 2-1 on aggregate, will face the winners of Wednesday's second semi-final involving Tottenham or Sheffield United, in the final at Wembley on Sunday, 1 March.</div>

Chelsea striker charged for alleged stamp by FA

Diego Costa has been charged for violent conduct after an alleged stamp following the Capital One Cup semi-final with Liverpool on Tuesday. ...

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Jose Mourinho fined

<div id="headline" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; outline-style: none;"><h1 class="story-header" itemprop="headline" style="font-size: 2.308em; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -0.2px; line-height: 1.2; margin: -2px 0px 18px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 6px;"><img src="http://www.thefa.com/~/media/images/thefaportal/2015/jan/jose-mourinho-charged.ashx" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="font-size: 2.308em; letter-spacing: -0.2px; line-height: 1.2;">Jose Mourinho fined £25,000 for referee 'campaign' comments<a name="more"></a></span></h1></div><div class="bintro" style="border: 0px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.875em; margin-bottom: 1.25em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, Jose Mourinho has been fined £25,000 after he was found to have breached FA Rules in relation to media comments.</span></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.875em; margin-bottom: 1.25em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Chelsea manager denied that comments he made after the game against Southampton on 28 December 2014 constituted improper conduct in that they alleged and/or implied bias on the part of a referee or referees, and/or brought the game into disrepute.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.875em; margin-bottom: 1.25em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Independent Regulatory Commission found the comments were a breach of FA Rule E3 in that they were improper and brought the game into disrepute. The Commission did not, however, find that the comments implied bias on the part of a referee or referees.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.875em; margin-bottom: 1.25em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mr Mourinho, who had requested a non-personal hearing, was also warned as to his future conduct.</div><div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" itemprop="description" style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.462em; line-height: 1.11; margin-top: 20px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />Thefa.com</span></div><div id="eplayerHolder" style="background-color: white; color: #081f2c; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.960000038147px; height: 349px; line-height: 20.7360000610352px; margin: 0px auto; width: 620px;"><br /></div>

Jose Mourinho fined

Jose Mourinho fined £25,000 for referee 'campaign' comments Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, Jose Mourinho ha...

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