English premier league is undoubtedly one of the toughest tourneys for players coming here from across the worlds, that is why, every player, who makes a switch to an English club, first tries hard to cope with the pressure of kicking the ball more than ever over here. Only players who tackle this challenge become the world known footballers while others who do not streamline their style of play with English ambience have to leave the English field. Chelsea striker Diego Costa who had been fantastic until playing for Atletico Madrid but when he marked his first appearance on English soil that too playing for Chelsea, he came to know what he has until been missing in his career. The Brazil-born Spain international has had a reputation of being most aggressive in La Liga and that is why José Mourinho could have shown an interest in him but to ensure his skills are best for the Blues, he never let his Portuguese manager down. He just returned off a three-match suspension for stamping Liverpool’s Emre Can last month, and looks more than eager to grasp the ball again.
Talking about the difference between football in England to rest of the world and if he needs anything extra to cope the pressing challenges of the premier league, 26-year-old said in an interview, “I am getting used to getting kicked more than before. Premier League defenders are really strong and physical. In England, the referees don’t call many fouls, as opposed to Spanish football. Consequently, you must be really strong all through the 90 minutes.
“Some of the kicks I suffer in England would be punished with a red card in Spain. My challenges on the ball are strong but noble at the same time. If you check my records, you will find out that I’ve never caused a bad injury to any player.
“The bottom line is that sometimes the little things I do on the pitch provoke exaggerated reactions. But if you rewind a bit and go through what they did to me, you may have another point of view. I consider myself a player who fights and gives everything on the pitch. Those who know me and appreciate those values understand what I say.”
Comparing Jose Mourinho with former Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, he added, “Jose Mourinho and Simeone have plenty of things in common, such as the passion for the game or the levels of commitment they demand from players. They ask the player to give everything he has inside. However, when it comes to tactics, Mourinho and Simeone have a different vision of the game.”