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Cape Town - Various newspapers on Tuesday reported that Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been urged to show more respect towards the club's manager Antonio Conte.
The Blues romped to a 3-0 victory over Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday, with Costa scoring the opener.
However, during the second half, the Spaniard was visibly agitated over Conte's substitutions and showed his frustrations by angrily motioning to the substitutes bench.
Initially it was thought Costa was concerned over possibly picking up a booking or injury which could rule him out of next week's Premier League match with Manchester United.
Costa has been booked on four occasions already this season and another would see him serve an automatic suspension.
However, various reports in the English press on Tuesday suggest that Costa has asked for some time off over a dispute with Conte.
According to the Mirror, the striker was "furious at what he saw as Conte's criticism of his performance," while the Daily Mail claims Costa felt that Conte "should take him off if he was not good enough."
The Telegraph, meanwhile, reported that Costa "had become annoyed by Conte's hands-on coaching style".
During his post-match press conference Conte said that "Costa's passion is important for the team" and that "I decide the substitutions" in an attempt to play down any suggestions of a disagreement between them.
Nevertheless, Costa's actions reportedly don't sit well with Conte and the rest of Chelsea's management team and as such the 28-year-old has been given a stern warning.
The latest incident isn't the first time Costa has clashed with a manager at Chelsea.
Last season under Jose Mourinho, now manager of Manchester United, Costa criticised the manager for dropping him after an incident during the Blues' Champions League game away to Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Costa was then not selected for the next two Premier League matches, and when he sat out a third, away to Tottenham, he proceeded to throw his bib at Mourinho.
