Diego Costa: If the knee is fine it will put up with it, if not then it will break again LaLiga The striker has always been a battler

The hunger Diego Simeone saw in Diego Costa during Atletico Madrid's training session on Friday is nothing new for the striker and is something that was evident seven years ago at Vallecas, too.

Then, it was his Rayo Vallecano teammates who were perplexed by what they saw in the newly arrived beast.

It took less than two sessions for Javi Fuego and current Rayo coach Michel - among others - to see it in Costa. Although he had only come through a long recovery after tearing his cruciate ligament, he was like a bull as he got back on the grass for the first time.

So extreme was his enthusiasm that he was encouraged to show more caution, but he had other ideas, responding: "I'm going to the top, if the knee is good it has to put up with it and if not then it will break again".

Rayo's players had no choice but to enjoy the show. His debut came from the bench and his enthusiasm was seen as he picked up a yellow card after 11 minutes and equalised within half an hour.

Costa debuted at Vallecas against Getafe and also scored before continuing his streak with a double at Levante before ending the season with 10 goals, despite only arriving halfway through the campaign.

Every time he got angry, his teammates feared the worst. They begged him to be calm, to which he usually responded with a wink as if to assure them that everything was okay, and it usually was.

Although he got nine yellow cards there, he was never dismissed. Simeone describes him as "a warrior", and it has been true of him for some time.