Champions League: Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa ‘using horse placenta treatment’ to be fit

Athletes will do anything and every to get an edge in their respective sports. With the Champions League Final on Saturday, players on both Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid are trying to get healthy for the big game.

That includes Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa, who suffered a grade one hamstring tear in last weekend’s draw against Barcelona. That injury seemed to end Costa’s hopes of playing in the final, but he isn’t giving up and is eportedly going through horse placenta treatment in a desperate bid to be fit according to the Mirror. Apparently Costa went to Belgrade to visit “medical miracle worker” Marijana Kovacevic.

That is right, horse placenta.

Kovacevic has a history of working with soccer players including Manchester United’s Robin van Persie. That was when Van Persie was playing for Arsenal, and manager Arsene Wenger was skeptical of the benefits and thought it could lead to further problems.

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Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo said that the club wouldn’t be taking any risks with Costa’s health and acknowledged the treatment plan.

“It depends on this horse placenta that he’s going to be treated with,” Cerezo told AS, via Goal.com.

“I don’t know because I’m not a doctor and, to be honest, if it’s harmful to him then it’s best if he doesn’t play but, if he doesn’t play, whoever plays in his position will do phenomenally well.

“We’ll look to go out and win. Depending on the course the match takes, we’ll win or we’ll lose but the team is mentally prepared, is strong and is up for it.

“That doesn’t mean we’re going to win but at least we’ll bring something to the match. It’s 50-50.”

Span’s national team coach Vincent del Bosque on the other hand is concerned over Costa injuring himself further with the World Cup less than a month away. This would be Atletico Madrid’s last game for a while so there is less to risk, and with reports that he is leaving this summer to go to Chelsea they might not be concerned with his health at all.

“Diego Costa has us on tenterhooks. His club say he has a muscular injury and that concerns us,” Del Bosque said.

“It is normal that a player wants to be there, because it is not just another game but the European Cup final.

“But he cannot go against his own health. His team, Atletico, and the player himself are those who have to weigh up the situation and the consequences.”