Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic has insisted that controversial striker Diego Costa is of great importance to the current Premier League champions.
On Tuesday, Costa was handed a three-game ban following his antics in the club's 2-0 victory over Arsenal, but Matic has since highlighted that the frontman's goals were pivotal to the Blues' domestic success last campaign.
"Everyone knows Diego is a great player," Matic told the club's official website.
"You know how many goals he scored last season. He is very important for us. I am happy to play with him."
Costa has scored 21 goals in 32 appearances for Chelsea since arriving from Atletico Madrid in 2014.
