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Beating Cassettes Meret in their Serie D play-off final on Sunday will not guarantee Chievo a Serie C place for next season – in a complex system, the league decides which Serie C vacancies will be filled by the play-off winners.
But given the economic situation of several third-tier clubs, often on the brink of bankruptcy or simply without the necessary means to carry the division, their goal is still very much within reach.
Costa has yet to reach the heights of his earlier career at Verona, but Milan Futuro – a decisive goal in their play-off semi-final against AC Milan’s under-23 club could prove crucial.
“I’m here to help the team on and off the field,” said the Brazilian winger. “My role is to help us change our mindset and look at things like professionals – before, during and after matches.
“If I had played here for a whole year, things would have been better. It’s not easy to stay here for three months, even if you’re a top-level player.
“But more than anything else, football is a joy for me: when the ball is at my feet, I’m happy. I still have a young mentality and I don’t want to get old. We’re here together to learn and laugh, and that motivates me every day.”
Despite a dazzling career, the former Gremio and Shakhtar Donetsk winger has adapted well to his new reality.
“In 20 years professionally I have played for big clubs in Brazil, Ukraine, Germany, Italy, USA and Australia,” he says.
“I won a lot and worked with great coaches like Mircea Lucescu, Pep Guardiola, Massimiliano Allegri and Carlos Dunga.
“My challenge has been to adapt to amateur football and try to raise the level of the league, although the environment is completely different from what I knew before.
“The nice thing is that sometimes, when I get the ball in away games, even the opposition fans cheer for us because they expect something special from me! I’m very happy to be here. Italy is a country that changed my life.”
Costa added: “The club does everything to put us in the best conditions to succeed, but once we step on the pitch, it’s up to our players. And that’s where I leave room for God-given talent.
“It was the same at Bayern: they asked me to track and defend, and I did that – but when I had the ball, I did what I wanted.”
Balotelli and Dubai can wait – at least for now. Much to the delight of Chievo fans, who dream of seeing their club back in the professional game, and Costa is pushing for more in their yellow and blue shirts.
