Antonio Conte Laughs off Diego Costa 'Criminal' Remark, Calls Striker 'The Past'

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte burst into laughter when asked for his view on Diego Costa's comments that he's being "treated like a criminal" by the club, suggesting his time at Stamford Bridge is over after dubbing the forward "the past." 

Costa recently said to the Daily Mail's Adam Crafton he felt he's been treated unfairly since being told he has no future at Chelsea, and Conte couldn't help but break into hysterics at the suggestion the Spaniard is the victim, via Sky Sports News:

Conte elaborated further on the matter and said "everyone who was at Chelsea knows very well what happened last season" before suggesting Costa's time under him is finished, adding: "He's the past. Stop."

Crafton explained a text message was sent by Conte at the end of the 2016-17 season, informing Costa he no longer featured in his Chelsea plans.

Costa has been quite vocal in giving his side of the story, as told by Crafton, and it's clear the former Atletico Madrid frontman is hopeful of securing a move back to the Spanish capital.

Conte gave the sense there were details surrounding the soap opera perhaps unbeknown to the public, and he was in no mood to accept Costa as the hurt party in all this, per Goal's Nizaar Kinsella:

The Spain international enjoyed his most prolific season for Chelsea last season and netted 22 times across all competitions, but there hasn't been any reported offer for the 28-year-old.

While he may long for a return to Atleti, where he won the 2013-14 La Liga title under manager Diego Simeone, Simon Johnson of the Evening Standard touched on the player having a skewed concept of how a transfer might work:

Costa is at his childhood home in Brazil, but the Telegraph's Matt Law reported he has plans to fly to Madrid in the hope he can force through a Stamford Bridge exit.

Conte's reaction to the controversy on Friday leads one to believe he'd be happy to sever ties should the right offer come in, but Costa remains in a state of limbo under a manager who appears to have given up on him.