Diego Costa Reportedly Facing 8-Game Ban Following Red Card vs. Barcelona

Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa may reportedly be set to miss the rest of the season following his sending off against Barcelona on Saturday. 

The striker was given his marching orders in the first period of the game at the Camp Nou after shouting in the face of referee Jesus Gil Manzano. Following the red card, he initially refused to leave the field before being ushered off by Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique.

Per Will Kent of Goal, the manner of the dismissal means the former Chelsea striker may be hit with an eight-game ban. That would see him sidelined for the final seven games of this season and the first domestic match of 2019-20.

Richard Martin of Reuters relayed a section of the referee's match report, in which it detailed what Costa allegedly said to him *Warning, expletive language*:

Here is the moment the Atletico striker picked up the red card, per Eleven Sports (UK only):

Per Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC, lapses in discipline have been crucial for Costa in two big moments for Atletico this season:

While Atletico performed well for long spells of the match with 10 men, eventually they were beaten 2-0 after late goals from Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. The match also effectively ended any chances the Madrid side had of challenging for the La Liga title, as Barcelona now have an 11-point advantage at the top.

Costa may be set to miss the rest of the run-in, and there is some speculation he may have played his last game for Atletico, with that in mind.

Felix Jose Diaz of AS commented on what has been a poor second spell at Atletico for the striker: "Muscular problems, sanctions and a foot operation have hampered any continuity the player would have wanted to have, and this combined with poor form in front of goal could point to the striker's future lying elsewhere."

Squawka Football noted the player has not enjoyed the best of years up to this point:

Costa returned to Atletico in the 2017-18 season, having fired the team to a shock La Liga title in 2013-14 before leaving to join Chelsea.

However, after a bright start to his second stint at the club, he has found form difficult to come by this term. Costa has struggled to stay fit, and when he's been on the field has failed to link up consistently with Antoine Griezmann.

Atletico signed Alvaro Morata from Chelsea on an 18-month loan deal in January, and he'll likely start in the remaining games this season. With doubts emerging over the long-term future of Costa, it's a chance for him to stake a claim for a starting spot ahead of the 2019-20 season.