Diego Costa Loses Appeal For Emre Can Stamp & Will Serve Three-Match Ban

Chelsea have been dealt a major blow ahead of their huge clash with Manchester City as Diego Costa has lost him appeal for stamping on Liverpool defender Emre Can, it’s been confirmed this afternoon.

Costa was charged by the FA with violent conduct on Wednesday after appearing to stamp on Liverpool’s Emre Can during the Blues 1-0 Capital One Cup win at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

Chelsea immediately decided to appeal the charge, claiming that only the player knew if it was intentional as Costa was looking at the ball and not the player when the stamp occurred.

However, the FA have dismissed that appeal and announced a short time ago that an independent regulatory commission has found Costa guilty and he will now serve a three-match suspension.

A statement on the FA website read:

Diego Costa will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect after a charge of violent conduct against him was found proven by an Independent Regulatory Commission on Friday 30 January 2015.

Costa’s ban couldn’t have come at a worse time for Chelsea as he will now miss this weekend’s action when they entertain second-placed Man City at Stamford Bridge in a clash that could go a long way to determining where the title ends up this season.

The Spanish international will also miss the subsequent games against Aston Villa and Everton, and Didier Drogba and Loic Remy will fight it out to replace Costa in Jose Mourinho’s starting eleven.