Guus Hiddink says Chelsea must accept Diego Costa's style of play but insists he should not be considered an "idiot" on the pitch.
Costa will miss Saturday's Premier League clash with West Ham after being sent off in last weekend's FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Everton at Goodison Park.
But when asked at Friday's media conference if he should accept that Costa is "a bit of an idiot" during matches, Hiddink replied: "It's too strong. If you know the definition of an idiot it's different to him. He has to play as he does, we have to accept that.
"He desperately likes to play. He accepts that he is suspended but he's not happy with it.
"Everyone wanted to be on his case. It's a matter of temperament and character."
"It was a medical issue also by the Spanish coaches and medical team. He has a little problem in the tendon in his hip," he said, adding that Eden Hazard will also sit out the international break with a similar problem.
Despite Costa missing Saturday's game with Slaven Bilic's side, Hiddink believes it is too soon for Radamel Falcao - who stated last week that he felt he had regained full fitness - to be brought back into the starting line-up.
"Falcao, as everyone knows, has had a very difficult time with injuries," he said. "He has recovered physically and now he has to regain his fitness. He's been training for 10 days with the first team and we'll see after the break if he is fully competitive. We have to see how he reacts with the more intensive training."
"I expect a tough match, they are doing very well at home but also away, they're a courageous team," he said. "It's a nice team to watch. And they are in the mood, being in fifth and dreaming of fourth.
"They've shown not just character but also that they can play.
"He [Bilic] is a very consistent manager, I've had some encounters and he's very stable, very driven. I think there's a mutual respect. He's done many good things."
