ATLETICO MADRID DEFENDER Kieran Trippier has said Diego Costa is the ‘funniest player’ he has ever played with.
The 29-year-old joined the Spanish side last summer, ending his four-year stint with Tottenham, and has been speaking about his new life in La Liga.
Among Trippier’s new team-mates at Atletico is Costa, a man well known among English football fans for his feisty character during his time with Chelsea.
But, in a recent interview, Tripper said there is much more to the forward’s personality than the confrontational persona he often shows on the pitch.
“He calls me Rooney 10 times a day,” Trippier said in an interview with Marca.
“He does it all the time, just for a laugh. But it’s Diego, I don’t care. We all find it funny and I like that he always makes jokes.
I knew him from the Premier League and he’s the funniest player I’ve ever played with.
“There’s a great atmosphere here and everyone makes jokes, but Costa is the funniest.”
As an England international, Trippier’s move to a club not in the Premier League is far from the norm and, apart from Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, the full-back is only player in Gareth Southgate’s squad who plies his trade outside of England.
Despite that, the former Burnley man claims the move to Spain has gone through effortlessly.
The adaptation has been perfect,” Trippier explained. “The weather is very pleasant, the food is incredible — better than in England.
“People are welcoming to me and my family and when they see me in Madrid; they tell me that I’m doing well.
“We can only thank everyone for making me feel at home so quickly, for making my family smile and making life easier.”
So far, Trippier has played seven of Atletico’s nine La Liga matches this term, but did sit out last weekend’s clash with Valencia, which ended 1-1.
Diego Simone’s men are currently struggling for form and, after winning their first three games of the new campaign, have emerged victorious in just one of the following six matches.
Next up for the side from the Spanish capital is Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen.
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