Atletico Madrid send top scorer Diego Costa to Belgrade for treatment using horse placenta

The Spain international has 36 goals this season but a thigh injury may rule him out of Saturday's Uefa Champions League final against Real Madrid.

Diego Costa was taken off injured against Barcelona on Saturday. Atletico Madrid now hope he will be fit for Saturday’s final. David Ramos / Getty Images

Atletico Madrid are making a desperate bid to get Diego Costa healthy for the Uefa Champions League final by sending him for treatment using horse placenta.

The Atletico striker is doubtful for Saturday's match against Real Madrid in Lisbon because of a nagging thigh injury.

The club sent the Brazilian-born Spain striker to Belgrade to seek treatment from Marijana Kovacevic, who uses fluid derived from horse placenta to repair damaged cells.

“It all depends on the horse treatment used, but I have no idea about it, as I’m not a doctor,” Atletico president Enrique Cerezo said. “If it doesn’t help him, then it’s best he doesn’t play.”

Kovacevic previously has treated Robin van Persie and Frank Lampard, among a number of football players.

Costa leads Atletico with 36 goals in all competitions, but limped out early in a 1-1 draw at Barcelona on Saturday, a result that clinched the Spanish Primera Liga title.

“Hopefully it can help him recover in time, because he is such an important player for us,” the Atletico full-back Juanfran said. “We’d like to be able to count on him.”

Meanwhile, on-loan goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois admits his Chelsea future next season is "unclear".

The 22-year-old Belgian was signed by Chelsea from Genk for £5 million (Dh31m) in June 2011, but has spent the past three seasons on loan at Atletico.

Courtois, who faced Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals, making some crucial saves, appreciates the difficulties if he were to return to Stamford Bridge and play understudy to Petr Cech, the 32-year-old Czech named in the Professional Footballers’ Association Premier League Team of the Year.

“The two of us want to play everything. Nobody will be happy to play in only the League Cup or FA Cup. Things are unclear at the moment,” Courtois told BBC Sport.

“I have the biggest respect for Petr Cech. He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, so I think putting him and me in the same team is not the healthiest thing in the world.

“We will see in the next week if we can sit together with Chelsea to find something for next year, find out what they want, what my desire is. We will see.”

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is expected to bolster the Chelsea squad this summer, after finishing Premier League play last season in third place behind Manchester City and Liverpool.