Chelsea Star Opens Up About Situation With Diego Costa and Antonio Conte

Chelsea teammates Willian, left, and Diego Costa.
Chelsea midfielder Willian, left, with Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge, London, August 27, 2016. Costa and Chelsea manager Antonio Conte have mended their relationship following a dispute. Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty

Chelsea star Willian has opened up on the reported difficulties between manager Antonio Conte and striker Diego Costa, revealing there is now "no problem" between the two.

Chelsea's runaway English Premier League title challenge threatened to derail over Christmas, as Costa was linked with a move to Tianjin Quanjian of the Chinese Super League.

Costa was left out of Chelsea's matchday squad for the victory at Leicester City on January 14, but has since returned to the side as Chelsea has continued to stretch its lead at the top of the table.

"The temperament of the two [Conte and Costa] is a bit difficult, but they are very good people," Willian told Globoesporte in Brazil.

"For those who do not know, Diego Costa seems like a tough guy, who wants to fight, but that's on the field.

"He always tells us: 'I'm like that on the field, I can not change. If I were to play against my mother, that would be the way I would be.'"

Chelsea, leading the Premier League by nine points from Tottenham Hotspur, visits Burnley on Sunday.

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Sportswriter at Newsweek.

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