You can tell that he still loves Chelsea

Stepping out of Diego Costa’s childhood home in Lagarto on Saturday afternoon, the message was clear. ‘next time in Madrid,’ we joked, but beneath the playful goodbye lay a straightforward truth. While Antonio Conte is at Chelsea, Costa feels he cannot possibly return. During Sportsmail’s interview, Costa described the italian coach as ‘distant’, ‘lacking charisma’ and also implied that the Chelsea boss relies heavily on his backroom team for his man-management. Costa cares passionately about the club. He kicked every ball in his living room as Chelsea chased the game against Burnley. He continues to talk to his team-mates most days. However, a reconciliatory approach would be required from two hot-headed characters. Conte will not concede ground and Costa is not prepared to give an inch. Asked if he would answer an SOS call, Costa replied: ‘You know the manager does not want me.’ Conte declared that Costa is ‘in the past’ after the 3-2 loss. So it would seem there is no way back. it is also true that Costa has a unique bond with Atletico Madrid. there are more photos of life in Spain than in London at his parents’ home. Should Chelsea fail to agree a fee with Atletico, then Costa’s credibility will be in doubt ahead of the World Cup. He is likely to be left out of Spain’s squad next month. Chelsea have a degree of strength. Yet Costa was not wrong when he highlighted his popularity. indeed, Sportsmail understands Chelsea’s players are bemused by the club’s transfer market activity, with the key players cut adrift and the squad short of numbers.