Helene Hendriks accuses Diego Costa of intentional coughing incident
Dutch television presenter Helene Hendriks has accused former Chelsea striker Diego Costa of intentionally coughing in her face following Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid at Anfield in March 2020, reports BritPanorama.
The broadcaster, who was covering the match for Dutch TV, claims she contracted COVID-19 just two days after the encounter with the Spain international. Hendriks made the allegations while speaking on the HNM podcast this week, describing the incident as “absolutely outrageous.”
The match on March 11, 2020, took place at the very beginning of the pandemic and has since become notorious for its potential role in spreading the virus across Merseyside. Hendriks recounted the post-match scene, stating, “First I had Virgil van Dijk, then Diego Costa. Do you know what Diego Costa did? He walked up and deliberately coughed in everyone’s face.”
Expressing her anger at the striker’s behaviour, she remarked, “I don’t get angry easily, but I wanted to run after him and say ‘what are you doing to me?’ He actually coughed right in my face.” Chaos ensued as she attempted to follow Costa while tethered to broadcasting equipment, leading to an equipment mishap.
The fixture at Anfield was the last match played at full capacity in Britain before the country entered lockdown. Hendriks noted the devastating toll linked to the event, stating, “Ultimately, of all the people in that stadium, 41 died from COVID-19.” A joint report by the House of Commons Health and Science select committees identified these deaths at local hospitals following the game.
Approximately 3,000 Atletico Madrid supporters made the journey to Liverpool despite alarming conditions in their home country. Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that by the evening of the match, Spain had already recorded 55 deaths and more than 22,000 confirmed coronavirus cases. LaLiga had announced the previous evening that domestic fixtures would proceed behind closed doors.
Costa started the match alongside Joao Felix before being substituted, with Atletico eventually winning through extra-time goals from Marcos Llorente and Alvaro Morata to eliminate the reigning European champions. He enjoyed considerable success during his time in English football, winning two Premier League titles during three seasons at Stamford Bridge between 2014 and 2017. Following his return to Atletico Madrid, Costa played for Atletico Mineiro in Brazil before a brief stint at Wolves during the 2022-23 season, managing just one goal in 25 appearances. He has been without a club since departing Gremio 12 months ago and is yet to respond to Hendriks’ allegations.
Amid the backdrop of a pandemic, the incident illustrates how the personal actions of high-profile athletes can reverberate beyond the field of play, impacting lives in unexpected and severe ways.
