Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been given a one-game suspension, fined £20,000 and warned as to his future conduct.
The forward admitted a charge of improper conduct in relation to his behaviour after he was shown a second yellow card in the FA Cup sixth-round tie against Everton on March 12.
This suspension will follow immediately on the conclusion of the player’s current two-match ban, which was considered to be his second dismissal of the season after he was handed a retrospective three-match suspension for altercations with Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel in September.
Costa’s current ban rules him out of the weekend game at Aston Villa, while the additional game means he misses the trip to Swansea City on April 9. He will next be available for selection for the home game against Manchester City on April 16.
With Costa suspended, Eden Hazard (groin/hip) injured and Oscar, Willian and Bertrand Traore only rejoining Chelsea on Friday following international duty, Alexandre Pato could make his long-awaited debut in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off at Villa Park.
