Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa could have played his last game for the season and perhaps for the club after receiving an eight-game ban for the red card he saw in his side's 2-0 defeat away to FC Barcelona in the Camp Nou last Saturday.

Costa was shown a direct red card by referee Gil Manzano after seriously insulting him twice in the space of a few seconds in the 28th minute of the match.

The Brazilian born Spain international's action left Atletico to play with 10 men for over an hour and clearly a factor in their defeat, which came courtesy of late goals from Luis Suarez and Leo Messi.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Wednesday had delayed their decision over Costa's sanction for 24 hours after asking Gil Manzano to explain exactly what Costa had said before making their decision.

The RFEF have banned Costa for four games for the original insult plus a further four games for then grabbing the referee's arm to try to prevent him booking two of his Atletico team-mates for complaining at the original decision.

With just seven matches left this season, unless Atletico appeal (as they almost certainly will), Costa will not play again before August.

The suspension is another setback to the striker who missed almost two months through injury at the start of 2019 and whose return for a second spell at Atletico has been disappointing.

Costa returned to the club he helped win the 2013 league title from Chelsea in the summer of 2017, but was unable to play until the start of 2018 due to a FIFA transfer ban on the club.

He was sent off in his first game back with the club after running to the stands to celebrate a goal and the past 16 months have seen him shown more red cards (three) than score goals (two), to leave the club wondering if they should look to sell him at the end of the current season.

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