Atletico has everything it takes to win La Liga, says Costa

Atletico Madrid’s Spanish forward Diego Costa celebrates his goal during the Spanish league football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Elche CF at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on December 19, 2020. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)

MADRID – Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa says they have a deep enough squad and the mentality to win the La Liga title this season after he scored on his return from injury in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Elche.

Costa is one of only three survivors alongside captain Koke and defender Jose Gimenez, plus coach Diego Simeone, from the side that won the club’s last title in 2014 and he believes the current crop of players is good enough to repeat the feat.

“We are a team with a great structure and we have everything it takes to fight with the biggest sides and we have to be right up there with them,” he told reporters.

Costa was making his return after a spell on the sidelines due to deep-vein thrombosis and scored for the first time since the opening day of the season, netting from the penalty spot after Luis Suarez had struck twice.

He said he and the Uruguayan had a healthy sense of competition that was replicated across the squad.

“Luis wasn’t scoring lately then on the day I return he goes and scores two, the cheeky rascal,” joked Costa.

“But I hope he continues like that, I’m so happy for him, he is a natural goalscorer and the more he scores the better it will be for the team. We’re going to keep on scoring and fighting to get in the team while respecting each other.

“That’s what it’s all about, if we want to achieve something big this season we have to be like in the season when we won La Liga, when we had a great side and when one player was injured another came in and kept up the same standards.”