What Jean-Philippe Mateta told Millwall keeper after horror FA Cup injury

Jean-Philippe Mateta spoke to Liam Roberts after the Millwall goalkeeper’s horror challenge left the Crystal Palace star needing 25 stitches to his left ear.

The Eagles cruised to a 3-1 victory over Millwall to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday, but Mateta’s horrific injury in the eighth minute overshadowed the Selhurst Park contest.

The striker laid motionless on the turf after being kung-fu kicked in the head by Roberts as the keeper attempted to clear the ball.

After a VAR check, referee Michael Oliver eventually sent Roberts off but play was put on hold for over 10 minutes while Mateta received treatment from Palace’s medical staff and the 27-year-old was given oxygen to help his breathing while being carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

The Frenchman was swiftly taken to hospital for further checks and treated for a ‘severe laceration to his left ear’.

‘We are very pleased to confirm that JP Mateta has this evening been discharged from St George’s Hospital where he received specialist treatment and 25 stitches to a severe laceration to his left ear,’ Palace said in a statement on Saturday evening.

‘All scans were clear and JP is feeling well. He will now rest and recuperate over the following days where his progress will be monitored by our club doctor.

‘Thank you to the medical staff at both Selhurst Park and the hospital for their help and professionalism, and for all the wishes of support that JP and the club have received today.’

Palace manager Oliver Glasner has since given a further update on when Mateta may return to the pitch, saying: ‘I think he will definitely miss the Ipswich game.

‘But I still hope that he’s available for the quarter-finals of the FA Cup at the end of March, so four weeks’ time. Of course, we all wish him the best.’

The Eagles have been drawn away to Fulham in the quarter-finals, with this Saturday’s Premier League game against Ipswich their only fixture before the cup clash thanks to the March international break.

Mateta, Palace’s top goalscorer this season with 15 goals in all competitions, took to Instagram to thank fans for their ‘kind messages’ following the collision.

‘I’m doing well. I hope to be back very soon. And stronger than ever,’ he wrote.

‘Well done guys for the great job today. I love you. JP.’

Mateta was also contacted by Roberts himself while in hospital, and the Mirror report that the striker had ‘no ill feeling’ toward the keeper and ‘they wished each other well’.

Speaking after the game, Glasner was certain Roberts, 30, had not injured Mateta intentionally: ‘The good thing is, just imagine if he hits his face straight, with his power, with the studs, it is the end of JP’s career.

‘I’m pretty sure he didn’t want to injure JP in this situation, but I also think that you have to decide when you make such an impact, you just can’t do it in this way.

‘The risk of a very, very serious injury is just too high, so I think it was the wrong decision the keeper took in this moment, but I always believe in the fair play of sportsmen, I know they never want to injure their opposition players.’

Speaking to BBC Sport at the half-time break, Palace chairman Steve Parish called Roberts’ challenge the most ‘reckless’ he had ever witnessed in football.

‘In all the time I’ve watched football I’ve never seen a challenge like it. I looked to see how old the keeper is and he’s 30-years old,’ Paris told the BBC’s Kelly Somers.

‘That’s the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen. He needs to have a long hard look at himself that lad because he’s endangering a fellow professional, maybe even his life.

‘It’s difficult for me to talk about the rest of the game because we’re worried about JP and it’s just a terrible, terrible challenge.

‘They’re all professionals out there and they’ve got to treat each other like professionals. They’ve got a duty of care and that goalkeeper hasn’t had one.

‘It’s difficult for me to think about anything else with JP in hospital. It’s a dreadful challenge and why the referee needs to go to the screen I’ve got no idea.

‘He’s a human being let’s forget about a football player that’s not just a normal challenge. If you’re kicking someone in the head with full force God knows what damage has been done to him.’

There has been widespread condemnation after Millwall’s away support were heard chanting ‘let him die’ while Mateta lay in a heap on the turf at Selhurst Park.

However, it’s understood the chants did not breach the FA’s regulations and the Championship outfit are expected to escape punishment.

Millwall are, though, facing a possible investigation into homophobic chants directed at Palace left-back Ben Chilwell during the match.

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