Diego Costa regrets way in which he left Chelsea after sealing Atletico move

Diego Costa regrets the manner of his Chelsea exit and admits to having “special affection” for people at the club.

The 28-year-old striker finally agreed a move back to Atletico Madrid earlier this week and arrived in the Spanish capital on Friday, ending weeks of exile in Brazil.

Costa won two Premier League titles in his three seasons at Stamford Bridge, but his stay ended in acrimony as he refused to return to the club after being informed by text message that he was not in Antonio Conte’s plans.

But Costa will not let his final few months sour his time at the club.

“I didn’t want it to unfold as it did,” the Spain international told journalists at Madrid airport, as reported by Marca.
“I have a special affection for the people at Chelsea.
“I don’t want to have an ungrateful attitude towards Chelsea, because I was also very happy there and played in a great team.”
Costa will look to restart his career in familiar surroundings as he is back at the club he served with distinction between 2010 and 2014.

Although he will not be able to play until January due to Atletico’s transfer embargo, Costa is raring to go at a place he calls home.

“Atletico Madrid is my home and here I am,” he added.
“I am very happy. [The negotiations] went on too long, but there was a happy ending in the end.
“Now I’m waiting to see my team-mates and to train.
“I am not as unfit as some have been saying.
“There won’t be a lack of determination on my part and I’ll give my best, as has always been the case.”

Chelsea agree terms with Atletico Madrid for sale of Diego Costa

Chelsea have agreed terms with Atletico Madrid for the transfer of striker Diego Costa back to the Spanish club.

Atletico will pay more than £50m for the Spain international, who will now have a medical in Madrid and discuss personal terms.
Chelsea will not be subsiding his wages after he has signed for Atletico.

A Chelsea statement read:

“Chelsea Football Club has today agreed terms with Atletico Madrid for the transfer of Diego Costa.

“The transfer will be subject to the agreement of personal terms and a medical.”

Costa refused to return to Chelsea’s Cobham training base this summer, instead remaining in Brazil in hope that Atletico could strike a deal to bring him back to Madrid.

Atletico failed to push through the move before the transfer deadline, safe in the knowledge that Costa would not be able to play for them until January due to the club’s transfer ban.
Costa has not played for 98 days since he appeared for Spain in a World Cup Qualifier against Macedonia in June.

The two teams play each other next Wednesday in the Champions League.

He scored 58 goals in 120 appearances for the Blues, including 20 in the Premier League last season as Chelsea won the title.

Atletico Madrid president denies talk of signing Diego Costa this week

Diego Costa’s future has been plunged into doubt once again after Atletico Madrid’s president denied his club were planning to sign him any time soon.

Atleti president Enrique Cerezo said:

“If his [Costa’s] family are moving [to Madrid], I do not know. What I know is that Costa is a Chelsea player and until January, there is time to talk to his club and with whoever else.”

When pressed if the player might sign for the club now with the deal set to be finalised at the turn of tje year, Cerezo added: “We are not going to do anything until January.”

UCL: Group C results: Batshuayi bags brace as Chelsea run riot on debutants Qarabag; Stalemate at Stadio Olimpico

Chelsea 6 – 0 Qarabag FK
Roma 0 – 0 Atletico Madrid

• Chelsea 6 – 0 Qarabag FK

Michy Batshuayi scores twice as Chelsea thrashed Qarabag 6-0 at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday in the Champions League.

Davide Zappacosta scored a wonder goal on his full debut.

Pedro Rodriguez powered home the opener from 20 yards in the fifth minute.

Zappacosta beat goalkeeper Ibrahim Sehic with a spinning cross-shot from almost on the touchline to put Antonio Conte’s team two up following Pedro’s fifth-minute 20-yard strike.

Cesar Azpilicueta headed a third early in the second half, before a first Chelsea goal from Tiemoue Bakayoko and a brace from Michy Batshuayi saw Conte’s side blitz Qarabag with three strikes in 11 minutes.

The tournament debutants from Azerbaijan rarely looked like troubling Thibaut Courtois in the home goal, with South African centre-forward Dino Ndlovu limited to speculative efforts from distance as the hosts cruised to a comfortable opening-day victory in Group B.

• Roma 0 – 0 Atletico Madrid

Roma and Atletico Madrid played out a goalless draw at the Stadio Olimpico.

Saul Niguez squandered a gilt-edged chance at the death as his effort was saved by keeper Alisson before he smashed the rebound against the post to let the Italians off the hook.

Atletico Madrid edge Liverpool 5-4 on penalties to win the Audi Cup

Atletico Madrid 1-1 Liverpool (Pk 5-4)

Liverpool suffered their first defeat of the pre-season campaign after losing 5-4 on penalties in the Audi Cup final against Atletico Madrid in Munich.

The game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes, with Roberto Firmino’s spot-kick cancelling out Keidi Bare’s first-half opener for the La Liga side.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson saw his penalty saved by Miguel Angel Moya in the resulting shootout. And Filipe Luis stepped up to net the decisive spot-kick.

Jurgen Klopp’s side reached the final of the four-team competition after beating hosts Bayern Munich 3-0 on Tuesday,while Atletico progressed with a 2-1 win over Napoli.

Liverpool, who won the Asia Cup last month, will now prepare to face Athletic Bilbao in Dublin in their final friendly match before their league campaign begins at Watford on 12 August.

Meanwhile, Atletico will now travel to England to face Premier League newcomers Brighton in a friendly at the Amex Stadium on 6 August.

Diego Costa hints at exit after trolling Antonio Conte and Chelsea

Diego Costa has appeared to blow any faint chances he had of rekindling his Chelsea career with an Instagram post of him partying in a Atletico Madrid shirt and passing comment on Antonio Conte.

The 28-year Spain striker is expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer after reportedly being texted by Conte that he is longer wanted at the club.

And any hope of saving his career at the club appears to have gone up in smoke after the player posted a picture on Instagram of him partying in Brazil wearing an Atletico shirt.

To add insult to injury, the volatile centre-forward also threw shade at manager Conte in a reply to Cesc Fabregas’ comment on his live video.

‘Give Conte a hug,’ Costa said.

The post has since been deleted.

Costa has had a fractious relationship with the Chelsea manager since the Italian’s arrival in West London and looked destined to leave in January after his attitude was questioned amid interest from Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian.

Atletico Madrid sign Vitolo from Sevilla; then loaned to Las Palmas

Atletico Madrid have confirmed the signing of Vitolo from Sevilla in a deal that saw the Spain winger trigger his €37.5 million release clause and will see him now spend the first half of the 2017-18 season on loan at Las Palmas.

Atletico have been tracking Victor Machin Perez, known as Vitolo, all summer despite being unable to register players until next January due to a FIFA imposed transfer ban. And it had seemed only last Monday that he was set to remain at Sevilla when the club’s president Jose Castro told reporters that a new improved contract at the Sanchez Pizjuan had been agreed.

However, the 27-year-old visited La Liga’s offices in Madrid on Wednesday morning accompanied by a Las Palmas director, and Atletico confirmed the details in a club statement soon afterwards.

“Atletico Madrid have reached an agreement with Victor Machin Perez, Vitolo, for the next five years after the player rescinded his contract with Sevilla Futbol Club,” a club statement read. “As a consequence of the FIFA ban which stops the club from registering any players during the current summer transfer window, the player will play the first half of next season at Union Deportiva Las Palmas and will join up with us from 1 January 2018. The Spain international has signed with our club until 30 June 2022.”

Las Palmas also confirmed their involvement in the deal with a club statement welcoming their former player.

On Monday, Castro had said Vitolo had agreed a new long-term contract with the club which included a significant pay-rise, and criticised the behaviour of “other clubs” through recent weeks.

Things took another twist on Tuesday when Marca photographers caught Vitolo leaving Madrid’s Barajas airport, with the player apparently having changed his mind following a conversation with Rojiblanco coach Diego Simeone, and Las Palmas’ Patricio Vinayo was spotted visiting La Liga’s headquarters in the capital before Vitolo himself also visited on Wednesday morning.
Vitolo appeared at La Liga’s headquarters on Wednesday to pay his release fee of £33million, which was funded by Atletico.

Vitolo was due to join Sevilla’s preseason training on Wednesday, ahead of the squad’s flight to Japan on Thursday. Local media in Andalusia say the Sanchez Pizjuan hierarchy are considering what legal steps they can now take against either the player or other clubs involved.

“Vitolo cannot play for Sevilla again,” ex-Sevilla captain Pablo Alfaro said on “El Larguero” radio show on Tuesday night. “I don’t know if he can even set foot in Seville again.”

Vitolo joined Sevilla from Las Palmas for just €3m in summer 2013, and reports had claimed that the Canary islanders were to receive 12.5 percent of any future sale, meaning they would now be due approximately €5m in total out of the latest deal.

Fernando Torres signs one-year contract extension at Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres has ended speculation about his future by signing a one-year contract extension, the La Liga club have announced.

The 33-year-old, recently linked with a move away from Spain, will now remain at Atletico until June 2018.

Torres is currently in his second spell with his boyhood club, who are under a transfer ban that restricts them from registering new players until the New Year, following spells away with Liverpool, Chelsea and AC Milan.

The former Spain striker has scored 28 goals since returning to the Vicente Calderon but has fallen down the pecking order behind Antoine Griezmann and Kevin Gameiro under Diego Simeone.

In a brief statement on Atletico’s official website, Torres said: “I am very happy to continue one more year together.”

Saul Niguez signs new nine-yeal deal at Atletico Madrid

Saul Niguez has committed his future to Atletico Madrid by signing a new new deal until 2026.

Saul, whose current deal had been due to expire in 2021, signed a new five-year deal at the club.
The impressive Spain midfielder was linked with a £60million move to both Barcelona and Manchester United.

Saul starred for Spain at the recent European U21 Championship where they lost at the final to Germany U21, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals.

He played 53 games for Atletico last season, scoring nine goals, four of which were in the Champions League.

“I am very happy because at Atletico we are a family and there is no better place to be,” Saul said in a statement on the club website.
“I will work my full potential on the field as always to pay back the trust that the club is giving to me. I’d like to thank all my team mates and the coaching staff for their help day by day so that I can be the player I am today.”