MADRID: Diego Costa’s return to Atletico Madrid began in typically explosive fashion on Thursday night, and his second spell in La Liga has raised hopes that his new team might challenge runaway leaders Barcelona.

Costa swept home his first Atletico goal since leaving the club for Chelsea in 2014 just five minutes into his first appearance since May, scoring Atletico’s third in a 4-0 hammering of third-tier Lleida Esportiu in the Copa Del Rey and showing the goalscoring prowess that Diego Simeone’s side have lacked all season.

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