Chelsea boss pins Costa's absence on back injury, not bust-up

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte played down reports of a bust-up with Diego Costa after the star was left at home for the Blues' trip to Leicester City, telling reporters the Spain striker's absence was the result of a back injury and nothing more.

Conte also dismissed reports that Costa had become unsettled by a big-money offer from a Chinese club and got into a fight with staff as a result.

"I think before the game I told the truth and I repeat the truth because I like to and I don't lie," Conte told BT Sport, according to BBC Sport. "Diego stopped his training Tuesday because he felt a pain in his back, for this reason he was not available. This is the truth."

With Costa unavailable, Chelsea found goals from an unconventional source as left wing-back Marcos Alonso stepped up and scored a pair in an eventual 3-0 win at King Power Stadium.

But with attention only on the missing man, Alonso was quick to put a few circulating reports in their place.

"You guys made up the story. Diego wasn't feeling well because of his back," Alonso said after the win. "He's very happy and will have a great enough season at Chelsea."

Related - Report: Chelsea players urged Costa to apologise for Conte row

Costa was neither in the starting XI or the bench for Chelsea's eventual win over the Premier League champion, and Chelsea fans were waiting for the final whistle before kickoff to hear an update on the reported situation.

When presented with the question of whether there had been a bust-up in training between himself and Costa, or whether Costa might move to China, the Italian manager offered nothing to substantiate earlier reports.

"In this situation you can listen to a lot of things," Conte said after the match. "In my experience as a coach, if there are the problems you solve them in the changing room not the press conference. I don't know anything about the reports of Costa to China. The truth is what I told you before."