Chelsea striker Diego Costa handed three-match retrospective ban by the FA

Diego Costa caught clawing Arsenal defender and pays dearly for it

Diego Costa has been handed a retrospective three-game ban after his spat with Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny on Saturday.

The Chelsea striker appeared to claw at the Frenchman's face as they battled for the ball during a feisty London derby at Stamford Bridge.

Costa went unpunished at the time but has since picked up a charge of violent conduct, for which he has been given a three-match ban. 

An FA statement reads: 'An FA charge against Diego Costa for violent conduct not seen by the match officials but caught on video has been found proven following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing.

 'The Chelsea forward will, therefore, serve the standard penalty of a three-match suspension with immediate effect.

The charge, which the player denied, was in relation to an incident involving Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny in the 43rd minute of the game on Saturday [19 September 2015].' 

Costa will still be able to take to the field for Champions League games during his ban, with Jose Mourinho's side facing Porto and Dynamo Kiev before the end of the sanction. Dailymail