Let the record show that it was Diego Costa who first dragged the lawyers into this fight. His man threatened charges of discrimination and perhaps even constructive dismissal (surely, a first, that latter) because of the infamous text message, which Chelsea and Conte insist was nothing but confirmation of things that were understood six months prior. So Chelsea laughed that off. But now we’re on the counter-threat path, and one would have to assume Roman’s got better lawyers than Diego.
Diego Costa could face legal action from Chelsea if he doesn't return for training https://t.co/UUblr0MUIF
— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) August 16, 2017
As per Matt Law’s report in the Telegraph, Chelsea’s case would be centered around Costa’s willful negligence of his contractual duties — i.e. not returning to training as ordered twice now — should that result in “millions of pounds” being wiped out in potential transfer fees. Chelsea then “could sue the player and his advisors for the difference between his sale price and market value if it was felt he eventually left at a reduced price”.
For now, this is just a theory and Chelsea are insisting that any legal action is “hypothetical”. In other words, they’re just threats, just like Costa’s lawyer’s nonsense.
Costa’s situation, as the report points out, is similar to Carlos Tevez’s three-month strike from Manchester City back in late 2011 (a sequence of events starting with his refusal to come off the bench against Bayern Munich), which was eventually resolved amicably with a Tevez apology (to club and manager), re-integration, and eventual sale (at the end of the following(!) season) to Conte’s Juventus.
Could Costa continue walking a similar path? Stranger things have happened, I suppose...