Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink suggested Oscar benefits from being antagonised after the Brazil playmaker’s training ground confrontation with Diego Costa was laughed off.

Tensions boiled over ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie with Scunthorpe after robust tackles were exchanged during training at the Blues’ Cobham base.

Costa took exception to a challenge from Oscar, with the swift intervention of team-mates required to help defuse the situation. The pair later joked about the incident, but Hiddink suggested the slight Oscar benefits from becoming angry.

“When this guy puts the emotion in, then automatically his level of play rises,” Hiddink said, before adding: “We try to punch him every now and then…

“It was a pity that our photographer had a day off because he could’ve shot beautiful pictures of two bulls who were chesting a bit after a charge from behind from the smallest bull of the two, which was Oscar. He got Diego. Then they stumbled over the ground, stood up as a normal reaction and then chested a bit without any further threat of punching or whatever.

“Oscar apologised in front of the group. They looked at each other and then they started laughing. Jokes were made afterwards.”

Hiddink won the 2009 FA Cup during his previous spell as interim boss, when he replaced Luiz Felipe Scolari, and a second win in the competition is an aim for him.

The Dutchman added: “Fourth place in the Premier League is difficult. Then there are two targets left and one is the FA Cup. It’s a big target for this group of players.”