Diego Costa has revealed his frustration at the treatment he receives in the Premier League, claiming he is a marked man.
The Spain international scored a late winner as Chelsea beat West Ham United 2-1 on Monday night.
But the striker had invited controversy shortly before when a late challenge on goalkeeper Adrian could have earned him a second yellow after he fell foul of new dissent laws to pick up his first card early on.
“I can’t ask for anything, the crowd here always loved me. It’s a support which I always appreciate. It’s important to get the three points, it’s important to start winning," Costa told ESPN Brasil on Tuesday.
“I am aware of [the new dissent law] now. The second time I went to talk to him, he showed me [the yellow card]. I even found it a bit weird, but then I understood. I went to apologise at half-time and that’s it.
“But I’ll be honest, I am targeted here, by the referees, the people… if I do something, it’s totally different than if any other players do. It needs to be seen, that people targeted me.
“It’s something I have to deal with and I ask God that these things don’t disturb me and don’t take the sequence of the games from me, which happens sometimes and gives me suspensions.â€
goal.com