The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Hiddink backs under-fire Costa
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Chelsea boss ‘proud’ of controversial striker
Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink has defended Diego Costa’s behaviour and scoring record ahead of tonight’s Champions League last-16 second leg with Paris St Germain at Stamford Bridge.
PSG’s social media team upped the ante on the eve of the tie with a video montage of masked super heroes titled ‘Spot the fraud’, which also included Costa, who has been playing with a protective mask due to a broken nose.
PSG boss Laurent Blanc warned his players to watch out for arch-antagonist Costa, who has scored 10 goals in 14 games under Hiddink, but has just one Champions League goal in two seasons and 14 games with the Blues.
Costa, available after missing Saturday’ s draw with Stoke as a precaution over a minor tendon problem, has a reputation for riling opponents. He has never been sent off for Chelsea, although he has served two retrospective three-match domestic bans.
“I’m very proud of him the way he’s playing and, going not over the edge, but he likes to fight in the real way of the game,” Hiddink said.
“That’s what we like. I protect him and support him when he’s doing what he has done in my period at Chelsea.
“He scored recently in not the worst league in the world. In the Premier League he frequently is scoring now, since December, January.
“Before he had also this problem not scoring, as did the team. Let’s see and hope he can make it to the European level as well.”
Chelsea’s only defeat since the appointment of Hiddink as interim successor to the sacked Jose Mourinho was in Paris on February 15, but John Obi Mikel’s vital away goal leaves the tie finely poised.
The Blues are up against PSG for a third-straight season.
Chelsea won the quarter-final tie in 2014 on away goals, but were defeated at the last-16 stage in 2015 by the same method.
Hiddink, who is without captain John Terry due to a hamstring injury, admitted his squad has been practising penalties with PSG 2-1 ahead.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be determined to make an impression after missing the 2014 tie through injury and his first-half dismissal 12 months ago.