Arsenal medical director Gary O’Driscoll has revealed that Diego Costa’s reaction to Laurent Koscielny’s injury during the Europa League semi-final last season.
The French defender suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in the Gunners’ second leg defeat with the Spanish giants, and Costa was the closest man to him at the time of the incident.
Speaking about the incident in the Laurent Koscielny: Stronger documentary, O’Driscoll said: “Laurent was in significant pain and he said to me: ‘He kicked me! He kicked me!’
“Diego Costa came to us and tapped me on the shoulder and said: ‘I did not kick him, I heard a snap.’
“The fact that there was an audible snap on the pitch and there was no-one near him just indicated that this was a serious injury and one that hadn’t been caused by a foul.”
The 33-year-old made his return from injury on Thursday night in the 1-0 Europa League win over Qarabag.
OPINION
Laurent Koscielny’s injury would have been devastating at any time, but for it to happen so close to a World Cup – a World Cup that his country won – must have been absolutely gutting. From the moment the defender went down it seems that it was clear that his tournament was over. In effect, he was robbed of the greatest prize in football. It is testament to the mental strength of the man that Koscielny has fought his way back to fitness. At 33 he is quickly approaching the end of his career and lesser players might have been finished off by such a devastating blow. Instances like the Frenchman’s injury transcend the tribalism of football support, and it was a great relief to see him return to action in midweek. Unai Emery will be grateful to have him back in contention, and hopefully, Koscielny can put the disappointment of his World Cup misery behind him.