Costa: "We are a compact, strong team"

Chelsea will take on Bournemouth this evening as they continue to match toward their second English Premier League Title in 3 years. Chelsea leading goal scorer knows the importance of winning matches but acknowledges that losing odd matches are normal.

He told chelseafc.com: ‘We are showing match after match that no matter what team we play against we are doing all we can to win,’ he said. ‘We are a compact, strong team. We give the best of us at every match. We might lose a match here and there, it is normal. But for others to win against us they really need to play an amazing match. I think we are in a very good moment and we need to go on like this for the remaining matches.

‘We know Bournemouth is a team that will be playing at home. The have some very strong and very fast players and they are capable of winning any match. So we have to play a compact match, because they are doing well and it is not going to be easy. We have to impose our best football.’

Diego also feels that the new 3-4-3 formation adopted by coach Antonio Conte helps the team a lot: ‘The team is more compact,’ he said. ‘We feel more confident. The formation Antonio has introduced has been really good for us. It has been impressive because there are players who had never played in the positions they are playing now and they are actually doing really well. I always enjoy playing, always try to give the best of me. Whatever the formation I always try to play well and score in order to help the team.

‘He has imposed a formation he had in mind from the moment he arrived. During the pre-season it did not quite work because the players were not used to it yet and he saw we were not ready yet. But he knew the system we had before was not what he wanted, it did not work for him. So he imposed his ideas. He has changed things a lot tactically speaking and things have started to work really well.’