Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembélé has spoken publicly for the first time about his clash with Diego Costa.
The Belgium midfielder was handed a six-match Premier League ban after declining to appeal a charge relating to an attempted eye-gouging, during Tottenham’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Chelsea.
“It was just a very emotional game,” Dembélé told Sky Sports.
“Things happen and my intention was not to do something bad to him.”
WATCH: Mousa Dembele has spoken for the first time about his attempted eye gouge on Diego Costa. #SSNHQ https://t.co/kLLo4DulTK
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 20, 2016
The midfielder sat out Spurs’ defeats against Southampton and Newcastle as they let slip their grasp on second place, while he will also miss the opening four games of the 2016/17 campaign.
However Dembélé’s ban will not impact on his international career, where he is part of a Belgian squad that goes into Euro 2016 as fifth-favourites.
Dembélé and the Red Devils face Group E rivals Ireland in Bordeaux on June 18th.
