Diego Costa had massage with horse placenta in a bid to be fit for the 2014 Champions League final 

Diego Costa has admitted that he had a massage with horse placenta and electroshocks as he attempted to be fit for the Champions League final in 2014.

Costa, who was then in the second of three spells at Atletico, had been struggling with a hamstring injury in the build-up to the game against rivals Real Madrid, which was held in Lisbon.

The striker was determined to be able to play in the final, so much so that he underwent ‘tough and very painful’ treatment. 

He added that the doctor was smoking two cigarettes when the electroshocks were applied. 

Costa told ESPN Brazil: ‘The horse placenta gets spoken about a lot, people say it was a lie.

‘That treatment was real, even though when they were applying the electroshocks the doctor was smoking two cigarettes.

‘They were two-hour sessions. It was tough and very painful, so much that when I ran after I didn’t feel any pain.’

Costa started the final against Real Madrid but lasted just nine minutes before being taken off

Ahead of the final in 2014, it was reported by ESPN that Costa had travelled to Serbia to visit a ‘medical miracle worker’ who specialises in horse placenta treatments.

Following the treatment, Costa was passed fit to start in the game at the Estadio da Luz.

However, matters didn’t go to plan as he had to be substituted after just nine minutes.

Atletico took the lead through Diego Godin, but Sergio Ramos scored a late equaliser for Real to take the game to extra-time.

Real ended up winning 4-1, with Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo all scoring.

Costa joined Chelsea shortly after the 2014 final and spent three years with the Blues before returning to Atletico.