Jean-Philippe Mateta has been discharged from hospital with 25 stitches in his left ear after what Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish described as the most reckless challenge Ive ever seen by Millwalls Liam Roberts.
The incident came inside six minutes at Selhurst Park when Mateta challenged for a high ball just outside the area and goalkeeper Roberts came out of his box, catching the Palace strikers head with his high boot.
After a check of the pitchside monitor, referee Michael Oliver sent Roberts off, with Mateta receiving almost 10 minutes of medical attention on the field before being taken off. Crystal Palace 3-1 Millwall – Match reportCrystal Palace news | FA Cup fixtures & resultsGet Sky Sports on WhatsApp | Download the Sky Sports appHe was taken straight to hospital where he received specialist treatment and 25 stitches to a severe laceration to his left ear, Palace said in a statement as they confirmed scans were all clear.
He will now rest and recuperate over the following days where his progress will be monitored by our club doctor, the club added. Mateta posted on Instagram, saying: Im doing well. I hope to be back soon and stronger than ever.
In a somewhat unprecedented step, Parish had given an interview at half-time to discuss the incident. Theres a lot of emotion in football but we need to talk about that challenge, Parish said. Ive never seen a challenge like it.
.. thats the most reckless challenge on a football pitch Ive ever seen. He needs to have a long, hard look at himself because hes endangering a fellow professional with a challenge like that. And why the referee needs to go to the screen, I have no idea.
.. If youre kicking him in the head at full force, who knows what kind of damage could be done. However, speaking to Sky Sports News after the game, Parish struck a calmer tone, saying: I think he [Mateta] is OK, Ive had a message from his agents.
Its a head injury so you dont really know, but hes got a really bad gash. I think his ear is almost in half. Its a bad one but Ive said what Ive said. The games over and credit to Millwall, they made it difficult for us today and were through to the next round, which JP will be happy about and we are as well.
I wasnt really angry [in his half-time interview], I hope I didnt come across like that. I watch a lot of football and it was some challenge. Youve got to assume the kid doesnt mean it. I think hes het up, theres a lot of pressure and he hasnt played for them that much.
Im sure hell want to apologise and I heard hes very upset himself. It was just a shocking challenge and at that time, I was very worried for JP. We still are slightly, but hopefully hes OK. Neil rebuffs Parish: Not the worst challenge Ive seen After the game, Millwall boss Alex Neil somewhat played down the incident, disagreeing that it was one of the worst challenges he had seen – but he also admitted he was yet to see it back.
He said: I dont think theres any intent. Why would there have been? Its the start of the game, the ball gets put in behind and he tries to get there. I certainly wouldnt label it as the worst challenge Ive seen.
We dont want the lad to be injured so naturally, we wish Mateta well and hope hes back on the pitch soon. For me, its mistimed, hes been sent off, hes disappointed. We wish Mateta well and its nothing more than that for me.
At the time when it happened, I didnt know if hed caught the lad or caught the ball because the ball seemed to go off in a strange angle. Unfortunately, [the screens] at the side of the dugout werent working, so we couldnt really watch the incident back.
I havent seen it back since but hes mistimed it and got sent off, which at that stage of the game, makes the game doubly difficult for us. It was disappointing. Hes made a call and hasnt quite got it right.
The injury took the shine off of Crystal Palaces win for boss Oliver Glasner, with the Eagles now in Sundays quarter-final draw. We cant be really happy. Of course its a great win and into the quarter-finals, but when you lose a player with a foul like this, you have two different feelings in your stomach, he told BBC Sport.
Im sure that the goalkeeper didnt want to injure JP in this situation because no player wants this. But if you go for the ball like this with the intensity in the head, you just cant do it because its so dangerous.
I dont want to blame him, but its a terrible foul. Going to the FA Cup quarter-finals is a great achievement and now fingers crossed, were hoping the best for JP.
