Dutch TV presenter says ex-Chelsea striker once ‘deliberately coughed in her face’

It reportedly took place after a Champions League fixture

Hendriks came across ex-Blues forward Diego Costa while he was plying his trade for Atletico Madrid back in 2020, at the very outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Brazil-born former Spain international played in the now infamous Champions League fixture between Liverpool and Atleti at Anfield in March of 2020, now remembered as one of the last major continental sporting events to take place on British soil, before the enforcement of lockdown measures began.

Speaking to the HNM Podcast this week, Hendriks recalled her interaction with Costa.

Setting the scene with some context surrounding the match, she said: "Ultimately, of all the people in that stadium, 41 died from Covid-19.”

After full-time, Hendriks would then conduct interviews with players from both sides, as she explained: "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."

“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.

“But for the connection to the Netherlands, I was attached to a wire and I was following Diego Costa, so the whole camera fell over.

“I didn’t know what was happening to me, I thought it was absolutely outrageous.”

Diego Costa is yet to respond to the allegation of deliberate coughing.

The 37-year-old is currently without a club after leaving Brazilian outfit Gremio 12-months ago.