Jose Mourinho issued a robust and colorful defense of Diego Costa following Chelsea's 2-0 defeat of Arsenal. Here Press Association Sport describes the exchange with journalists in Mourinho's post-match media conference.
Journalist: Arsene Wenger says Diego Costa deserved a red card – did he?
Jose Mourinho: My view is this. I played against Arsenal 12, 15, 18 times, I don't know. Only once he (Wenger) didn't moan. On that day, we lost the game, we lost the cup, it was not good for us. We behaved in a fantastic way. No excuses, no crying, not moaning. Just Mr Jose Mourinho, my players and Chelsea Football Club.
Mourinho is rebuked for not answering the question. He continues:
JM: This is my question. I played my first derby on September 20-something 2000, Benfica against Sporting. I told my players before the game: to win derbies you need emotional control. Without emotional control, forget it, you don't win. I play derbies in Portugal, in Spain, in Italy, in England again. And it's something – I repeat – every derby you don't win without emotional control. This is a basic thing of the game.
The question of whether Costa should have been sent off is repeated.
JM: I think you should speak about Gabriel Paulista. Good player. You should speak about him and his mistake. If you want to speak about Diego Costa with me, it's just to say he played like he has to play. And that's why you have full stadiums, you sell to televisions around the world for millions and millions, because the game has to be played like that. Okay? And that's why tomorrow – I couldn't go yesterday, I go tomorrow – for what I consider comparable in terms of dedication and passion. New Zealand against Argentina (in the Rugby World Cup). I go tomorrow because I love it. Fantastic, Diego.
A reporter describes the incident between Costa and Laurent Koscielny which led to Gabriel intervening and says the Chelsea striker could have had three or four separate yellow cards.
JM: I can guess that when you were a kid you were playing badminton.
Reporter: I played rugby…
JM: You didn't play rugby. Trust me. You played badminton. It's a great sport. Badminton is a great sport.
Another reporter: You haven't answered the question…
JM: Man of the match, for me.
Reporter: No red card?
JM: Of course not. The referee was there, was the same referee that made every decision of the game, was the same referee that didn't give two penalties, clear, for us. It's also rules of the game. What Gabriel Paulista did to Eden Hazard which is something that is allowed in rugby and not in football. And in the box it's a penalty. And in the second half – I don't know which player it was (Hector Bellerin) – but did the same on Diego Costa. In rugby it's fantastic, in football it's a penalty.
Another reporter asked if Mourinho was worried Costa could face retrospective action from the Football Association.
JM: Look, I think he said before the game that I have to cope with my defeats. Tonight he has to cope with his defeat.
The media conference comes to a close.
