Why Diego Costa Might Want Atletico Madrid Move to Kickstart Spain Career

International breaks might not find universal favour with world football fans desperate to see their clubs in action, but they do at least occasionally throw up interesting quotes for us all to sink our teeth into.

That old adage about being mistranslated and misunderstood when speaking to journalists back in a player’s homeland never truly cuts it in terms of an excuse, and we lap up anything and everything controversial that we can get our hands on in the absence of league football. 

So it was no surprise that when Diego Costa spoke up after Spain’s friendly with Belgium last week, the press were all ears, even if it was the press that he was railing against.

As reported by the Guardian, the Chelsea forward said:

"

They [the press] criticise me a lot and if I played for Real Madrid or Barça and was a natural Spaniard they’d say I had a good game, possibly my best for the team.

I didn’t score but I can be useful to the team. I participated a lot in the game and I leave here happy, unlike in other games. ...

I haven’t done great things for Spain, I can’t lie, but when I play well they should say so. They criticise me for my character, but I also have quality.

"

Shots fired? Not quite, but what was clear was Costa’s determination to impress for Spain, for whom he hasn’t pulled up trees since switching his allegiance from his native Brazil shortly before the 2014 World Cup, where he dramatically flopped and the titleholders exited the tournament at the group stages.

Clive Rose/Getty Images

Costa was accused of being unfit and failing to jell with his new national side’s tiki-taka style, and a cloud has hung over him ever since. After a poor season at Chelsea in 2015/16, he wasn’t selected for Euro 2016, and few were surprised.

Is hope around the corner, though?

On Monday night, the former Atletico Madrid forward responded to last week’s criticism with two goals, as Spain hammered Liechtenstein 8-0 in Leon in their opening World Cup qualifier, and although such feats and scorelines are to be expected of Spain and their centre-forward against such opposition, it has undoubtedly been a huge step in the right direction.

After the game, he was in somewhat buoyant mood, too, saying via ESPN:

"

Not only [have I been supported by] the coach, but my teammates have never left me and always supported me. Now things are going well for me.

I had a difficult time of it and a forward needs goals, but I think I'm now more involved in the game and knew the goals would come.

I could never complain about my teammates. I have to give them my thanks for how they've always supported me and never let me throw in the towel.

Criticism is normal because more is always asked of international players.

"

So what now, then?

It is true that Costa was probably only starting in Leon because of a slight injury suffered by Alvaro Morata against Belgium, with the Real Madrid forward fit enough to come off the bench for Costa shortly after the Chelsea man had headed home his second of the game.

That took his international tally to three goals in 12 games, a record that doesn’t exactly inspire and is likely to keep causing debate when discussions over just who Spain’s first-choice forward should be come up.

In contrast, Morata grabbed two goals in the space of a minute after coming on and is now sitting on eight goals in 15 appearances to make him the apple of new boss Julen Lopetegui’s eye, as well as that of the majority of Spanish supporters.

So what of Costa, then?

He’s begun the new season well at Chelsea, getting off to a fast start under Antonio Conte and scoring in the wins over West Ham and Watford. But his career with the Blues is still under something of a cloud after he admitted his desire to return to former club Atletico Madrid in the summer.

Shortly before the closure of the transfer window, Costa told Spanish television channel Movistar Plus (via the Daily Mail):

"

I wished I could go back to Atletico, I'm not going to lie.

Everyone knows what happened to me there [in England], with the language, the weather and everything.

But I can’t complain because I’m a boy whom the fans love, at Chelsea they respect me.

"

It is a lesson in diplomacy and honesty all at the same time, but it also offers an insight into the forward’s mindset.

Costa is a fiercely driven and determined character who will continue to give his all for Chelsea every time he pulls on a blue shirt, but fans of the club should know more than most that the best talents from around the globe are often driven back “home” eventually.

The forward clearly has a deep affinity for Atletico, where he rose to prominence and was the star player when the team won the LaLiga title in 2014 and reached the Champions League final. The fans there love him, as they do at Chelsea, but first loves are always a little more enticing to return to.

With his comments about playing for Barcelona or Real Madrid in mind—although admittedly he later apologised for them—could he perhaps see a summer return to Atletico as the answer to his international dilemma?

Barca and Real are, after all, already pretty well stocked with attacking talents, with Paco Alcacer moving to Catalonia this summer to back up their stellar front three and Morata going back to Real to support the famous “BBC” front line.

Costa isn’t getting in there any time soon, but at Atletico things could well be different.

As we reflected on at the weekend, Antoine Griezmann looks as though he is going to be mentioned in the transfer gossip columns next summer, and it could well be that a vacancy opens up in Diego Simeone’s attack should the Frenchman decide to look elsewhere. There would be no-one better to fill that than Costa.

DANI POZO/Getty Images

With Atletico moving into their new stadium at the start of next season, a stellar new addition could be seen as the perfect way to open it in style, and supporters would love nothing more than that signing to be Costa.

In this age of matches from all over the globe being available at the touch of a button, it isn’t as though Costa is “out of sight, out of mind” whilst playing at Chelsea—one of the biggest clubs in one of the biggest leagues in the world. But there is clearly some level of friction there.

If, as he states, he has a burning desire to prove that Spain were right to get him to switch his international allegiance from Brazil and become a star for the national team, then maybe moving to Atletico will get him the respect he deserves.

Atletico would be foolish not to play on the prospect, anyway.