‘I feel like a footballer again’, says Costa

Diego Costa PHOTO:AFP

Diego Costa has revealed that he ‘feels like a footballer again’ after coming off the bench to score on his second debut for Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening.

The last time the Spanish striker was on the field was in May last year after playing in the FA Cup final for Chelsea against Arsenal.

Since then, the 29-year-old returned home to Brazil for three months before getting back to match fitness for Wednesday’s 4-0 Copa del Rey win over Lleida, which Costa couldn’t be happier with.

‘Now I am very happy because I feel like a footballer again,’ Costa told reporters.

‘It is great for me to play for Atletico Madrid again, the club are very important to me and I am very happy with this.

‘I could not have asked for anything more on my second debut, to be back playing again and to have scored a goal is fantastic.’

The former Chelsea man came on as a substitute 18 minutes into the second half only to make it 3-0 five minutes later against third tier side Lleida before teammate Antoine Griezmann made it four in the final minutes.

Diego Godin broke the deadlock in the first half before Fernando Torres doubled the visitors’ lead four minutes later.