Diego Costa: Chelsea striker fined £20,000 and has ban extended by the FA
Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been fined £20,000 and hit with an extended one-match ban by the FA after admitting a charge of improper conduct.
The 27-year-old will now be absent for next Saturday's trip to Swansea on 9 April as well as this weekend's meeting with Aston Villa, having already missed Chelsea's 2-2 draw with West Ham a fortnight ago.
Costa was originally handed a two-match ban after clashing with Gareth Barry and receiving the first red card of his career in Chelsea's 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Goodison Park last month.
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The dismissal was considered to be the second of his season, however, after he was given a retrospective three-match ban by or his behaviour during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Arsenal in September.
He has been warned by the FA as to his future conduct.
Alexandre Pato could be drafted into replace him this weekend after the Blues interim manager Guus Hiddink said it "might be time for experiments".