As a way to whet fans’ appetites during the international break while also raising funds for the Chelsea and LFC Foundations, the two Premier League clubs hosted a Legends match – and Diego Costa of Chelsea certainly sparked interest among fans watching from home.
The two teams played in March 2025, with Liverpool winning 2-0 thanks to Peter Crouch’s brace, and they faced off again on October 11, 2025, with thousands packed inside Stamford Bridge. Ramires, John Terry, and Petr Cech were among the west Londoners, while Robbie Keane represented Liverpool.
Both of the aforementioned charities are dedicated to addressing socioeconomic inequities in the clubs’ respective areas, but that didn’t stop Costa from approaching it like a professional game throughout his career. At 37 years old, the seasoned attacker couldn’t help but collide with Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel in the first half of the match.
Diego Costa and Martin Skrtel clash in the Liverpool vs Chelsea Legends Charity Match.
The second half, as both sets of players returned from their respective dressing rooms, had a bit more of an edge to it – which can be related to the pandemonium between Skrtel and Costa, who have been feuding since 2015. Never distant from controversy, the latter appeared to have purposefully studded the former in the ribs as the two tussled on the grass.
Things were destined to spill over when they met again, even if it was ten years later. In the 39th minute, the former Liverpool defender surged into a vicious attack on Costa from behind, leaving the Brazilian in a heap on the ground.
In typical Costa manner, he rose to his feet and challenged the Slovak, the two exchanging insults. It didn’t take long for the former striker, who is one of Jose Mourinho’s most expensive purchases of all time, to get his revenge with a stupidly late tackle. Skrtel, like Costa three minutes before, dropped to the floor when they made contact, and the pair exchanged insults once more.
Costa received a well-deserved yellow card for his involvement, bringing back memories of his time in the English capital from 2014 to 2018, when he was noted for being reckless when leading the Blues’ line. During that time, the two met four times, and they also faced off once on the world scene.
Given their tendency to cause havoc, tempers understandably flared when the two clashed between 2014 and 2016. Below is a photo of Costa gouging Skrtel’s eye during a heated Premier League match, demonstrating their developing animosity.
Fans online are divided about their most recent confrontation. “Costa man, never change,” one user posted on X (previously Twitter), while another added, “I’m finished, this guy hasn’t changed one bit.” Another, however, questioned his actions, given that it was all for charity. “Even for a charity match???” they said, while another said:
“Diego Costa will always be Diego Costa.” “There is no such thing as a friendly game for him.”
“Least surprising yellow of all time,” another commented. Between signing with Atletico Madrid in 2014 and returning to the Spanish capital four years later, the Spanish talisman received 30 yellow cards and one red card in 120 games. “They’re still beefing after all these years?” one last fan concluded.
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