Pedro Is My Brother – Diego Costa

Diego Costa has played down his on-pitch argument with Pedro Rodriguez during Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat against Tottenham on Wednesday, insisting that he and his teammate are like brothers.

Spurs supporters gleefully cheered during the first half at White Hart Lane when Costa and Pedro became embroiled in an angry debate following a miscommunication that resulted in the breakdown of a Chelsea counterattack.

It proved to be one of few dangerous attacking moments for Chelsea as two headers from Dele Alli earned Tottenham a deserved 2-0 win over their bitter London rivals, ending the Blues’ record-equalling 13-match winning streak in the Premier League.

After the match Costa insisted that his argument with Pedro occurred in the heat of the moment, and dismissed the notion that there could be any lasting animosity between the two men.

“Nothing happened,” Costa told IBTimesUK when asked about the incident. “We have a great understanding with each other. When you have a trusted relationship and intimacy with a teammate it is normal for these things to happen. It was just a moment during the game, and that’s it. It was nothing.

“I told him: ‘You have to get in there, why didn’t you go?’ He said ‘I went’ and I said he didn’t. That’s it. Pedro is my brother and we love each other.”

Chelsea’s defeat was their first in the Premier League since late September and narrowed their lead at the top of the table to five points, but Costa is confident that the setback will not do any damage to the team’s confidence.

“We have to be aware that we have lost just one game in the last 14,” he added. “The boss [Antonio Conte] knew that this moment could come. But the important thing is that the team have fought to get a result.

“We are hurting, but there is a great spirit in the dressing room. We are not happy when we lose, but that’s it.

“We were playing against a great rival and in their own home. We already knew it was going to be a difficult game. We made two mistakes and they were able to take advantage of their opportunities to score.”