Laurent Koscielny reveals what his mates would have done to Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge

Diego Costa and Laurent Koscielny clashed at Stamford Bridge

AURENT KOSCIELNY was told he should have hit Diego Costa during their flare up in September.

 

Costa lashed out at the Frenchman before managing to get Gabriel sent off during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Arsenal.

The Spain striker was retrospectively banned by the FA, but Koscielny was congratulated for keeping his cool - by his mates.

On international duty Koscielny reveals his friends sent him text messages admitting they'd have gone crazy with Costa's antics and would have reacted aggressively.

 

“At the time, when he gives me a slap on the face, I don’t pay attention,” Koscielny said. “We’re in a defensive situation and I continue to play. After he pushes me, I fall and get up because I’m not the type of player who drops down like that.

“Sure, I could have had a reaction, but I managed to keep my nerves.

“He wants to blow a defender’s fuse but you have to stay calm.

 

“I received a lot of messages telling me: ‘Well done, because I, I would have hit him.’

“You know, it’s five years that I’ve been at Arsenal, I have over two hundred matches with my team, some very important, I played a World Cup, the Euros. All this experience helps my serenity and allows me to not be overwhelmed by the emotions of an encounter.”

Koscieleny is in the France squad ahead of their visit to England on Tuesday.

 

Diego Costa was charged retrospectively by the FA after clashing with Koscielny