Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea: Diego Costa all smiles as he watches new side take on former club in the Champions League

DIEGO COSTA watched his former Chelsea team-mates take on new club Atletico Madrid.

The ex-Chelsea striker completed his £67million return to the Spanish capital this week.

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But he cannot take to the field until January due to Atleti's transfer ban.

Costa warmly greeted the Blues as they arrived at the stadium for a crucial clash.

As he was trying to finalise his Madrid switch, the Brazil-born hitman accused boss Antonio Conte of treating him like a criminal.

He said: Costa said: "I am waiting for Chelsea to set me free. Why won’t they let me go if they don’t want me?

"My desire is to go to Atletico (where he played from 2010-14). I’ve spoken to Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia.

"I said, 'If the manager doesn’t want me, I want to go to Atletico Madrid'.

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"They want me to be there training with the reserves. I wouldn’t be allowed access to the first-team dressing room and I would have no contact at all with the guys.

"I’m not a criminal! I don’t think it is fair after all I have done to be treated like that."

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But it appears Costa, 28, has put the past behind him after completing a dream return to Madrid.

In his finals season with Atleti, Costa won the La Liga title to earn his move to Stamford Bridge.

He is regarded as a hero among the club's fans and was mobbed as he arrived at the airport to undergo his medical.