Athletic Bilbao Coach Ernesto Valverde believes Diego Costa was lucky not to be shown a red card during Atletico’s Copa win.
Diego Simeone’s side took the first-leg Copa del Rey meeting by a single Diego Godin goal, scored shortly before half-time.
Speaking at his post-match Press conference Valverde rued the defeat, predicting a difficult second-leg, and criticised referee Fernandez Borbalan for allowing Costa to stay on the pitch.
“For me it wasn’t a very good game,” Valverde said.
“There weren’t many chances. The result is bad for us.
“Atletico defends these kinds of games very well, but we have 90 minutes to attempt a comeback.”
On the subject of Costa, Valverde suggested he did not want to criticise Borbalan but believes he made an error after Costa tangled with Aymeric Laporte.
“I’m not the referee but it seemed to me that it was a very close decision.
“I thought it was a red card and a sending off. It’s as if Costa is above everyone else.”
Valverde however feels his team can overcome the odds in the second-leg, pointing to their experiences so far in the competition.
“We’ve had the same result in the first-leg in the last two rounds and we’ve recovered at home,” he said.
“But the opponent is more difficult now. We have to watch Atletico on the break in Bilbao.
“It will be very difficult. It’s true they have the advantage.
“I don’t want to talk about percentages. Just that they will try to counter and it will be difficult.”
