The Spaniard, 26, was banned for three matches today for stamping on Liverpool's Emre Can in the second leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final on Tuesday.
Hasselbaink told talkSPORT: "I don't think it was a stamp because it went too fluently and his focus was only on the ball.
"Normally when you stamp on somebody you have a look that you want to hurt somebody and he didn’t have that.
"I know Costa is always playing on the edge, but I like that in him, and I have to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
"Do I agree with everything Costa does? No, but I like his style and I like how he plays on the edge. Sometimes he goes a bit overboard but, as a manager now, I would take somebody with that kind of commitment. I don’t think he wanted to hurt Can on purpose."
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