Diego Costa Sparks Chaos with Yellow Card in Explosive Chelsea Legends Comeback

Diego Costa demonstrated his characteristic behavior upon returning to Chelsea on Saturday, receiving a yellow card for confronting Martin Škrtel during a charity match.

The 37-year-old Costa, who hasn't officially announced his retirement, led the attack for Chelsea Legends at Stamford Bridge as they faced Liverpool Legends in a fundraising event held during the international break.

While Liverpool secured victory with a late strike from Ryan Babel, Costa stole the spotlight by displaying his trademark fiery temperament throughout the match.

Several confrontations with Škrtel eventually escalated when the Liverpool legend objected to a robust challenge from Costa, resulting in a yellow card for behavior that reminded spectators this wasn't just any ordinary charity encounter.

The history between Costa and Škrtel dates back to their Premier League encounters. The Chelsea forward received a three-game suspension in 2015 for stamping on the Liverpool defender, and later avoided sanctions for what looked like another kick aimed at Škrtel.

Despite their on-field altercation, the duo reconciled afterward, as shown in Costa's Instagram post following the match.

Fans familiar with Costa's Chelsea career from 2014 to 2018 won't find his recent behavior shocking. The legendary forward, who netted 59 goals across 120 appearances and claimed two Premier League championships with the Blues, accumulated 32 yellow cards during his Stamford Bridge tenure while remarkably never receiving a direct red card.

"Obviously, this player [Costa] hasn't changed, we witnessed it!" commented former teammate Eden Hazard, who also participated in the match.

Costa hasn't competed professionally since his departure from Grêmio in January. He notably received a red card during a fitness-focused Under-20 friendly for an on-field altercation in September 2024, but concluded his time with the Brazilian club having scored eight goals in 26 appearances.

While he hasn't officially retired, Costa's intentions regarding finding a new club remain uncertain.