Old Rivalries Resurface at the Bridge
There was no shortage of nostalgia — or drama — at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as Chelsea Legends reunited to take on their Liverpool counterparts in a charity clash supporting the Chelsea Foundation and Chelsea Players’ Trust.
Among the star-studded Blues lineup were John Terry, Eden Hazard, Petr Cech, Gary Cahill, and of course, Diego Costa, whose competitive fire remains as fierce as ever.
While the match itself ended in a narrow 1–0 defeat to Liverpool courtesy of Ryan Babel’s 78th-minute strike, the main talking point came much earlier — and involved two familiar adversaries.
Costa vs Skrtel: Chapter Two
Early in the first half, Costa found himself on the receiving end of a rough challenge from former Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel, who went straight through the back of the striker in an attempt to win the ball.
True to form, Costa immediately sprang to his feet and confronted the Slovakian centre-back, the pair squaring up before the referee stepped in to defuse the situation.
But the incident wasn’t over. Minutes later, Costa got his revenge.
As Skrtel moved to receive a pass, the former Chelsea No.19 thundered into his back, sending the ex-Liverpool defender crashing to the turf — much to the delight of the Stamford Bridge crowd.
Skrtel was visibly unhappy, pointing and shouting in Costa’s direction, while Ramires stepped in to calm things down. Costa was eventually shown a yellow card for the challenge, but the incident summed up exactly what fans loved about him: that relentless, fiery edge that defined his Chelsea career.
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A Rivalry Reignited from 2015
It wasn’t the first time the pair have clashed. Back in January 2015, during a heated League Cup semi-final between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, Costa was accused of stamping on both Skrtel and Emre Can.
The Football Association later charged the striker with violent conduct, leading to a three-match ban, while then-Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers publicly criticised Costa’s behaviour.
“He has this edge to him,” Rodgers said at the time. “With Emre Can, that was poor, I felt. He directs his studs right on to his ankle, which could’ve been nasty. The one with Martin Skrtel — there’s no need to do it. That’s the sad thing. He’s a top-class player, and he’s clever enough that the officials don’t see it.”
Nearly a decade later, the same fire still burns. Costa may no longer lead the line for Chelsea, but his competitive streak — and his knack for drama — remain undimmed.
Once a Blue, Always a Blue
Even in a charity match, Diego Costa reminded fans why he’ll forever be a Stamford Bridge cult hero — aggressive, passionate, and utterly unapologetic.
And while it was Liverpool who took the bragging rights on the scoreboard, for Chelsea supporters, seeing Costa’s familiar snarl and spirit back in blue felt like the real win of the day.
