CONTE CRACKS COSTA CODE

Ballack hails Blues boss over his hard-line stand

MICHAEL BALLACK says Antonio Conte’s hard-line approach to Diego Costa shows he has rediscovered the key to the Chelsea dressing room that had been lost by Jose Mourinho.

Spain striker Costa has been linked with a megamoney move to China and was dropped, with the club claiming he was injured.

Former Chelsea and Germany star Ballack feels Conte’s approach is the only way to combat Costa’s “emotional” side. The manager left him out at Leicester – only for the striker to perform a pointed celebration when he scored on his return against Hull.

“Costa is Spanish but he has this Brazilian blood,” said Ballack. “South Americans are different from Europeans. It is an

emotional aspect, so you have to find the right access. Conte treated him with toughness, he took him out of the squad. But the answer’s good from Costa.

“When I was at Chelsea, Mourinho was a very special manager who found a very special axis with the players.

“There was always a tension. Mostly he was pushing us together as a group and he was at the front, our leader.

“But it is not easy when you have 20 egos. Sometimes one or two create trouble because they’re not happy.

“Last year, with Jose, it seems like the players and the coach were not always going in the same direction.

“Now Conte has found that key.”