Crystal Palace Star Jean-Philippe Mateta Hospitalized After Nasty Collision in FA Cup Match Against Millwall

 Crystal Palace Star Jean-Philippe Mateta Hospitalized After Nasty Collision in FA Cup Match Against Millwall

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was hospitalized following a reckless challenge by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts during their FA Cup fifth-round match on Saturday. Despite the Eagles securing a 3-1 victory, the incident overshadowed the match's result.

Roberts was sent off just eight minutes into the south London derby at Selhurst Park after a dangerous challenge. As he rushed out of the penalty area to clear the ball, Roberts inadvertently struck Mateta’s head with his boot. The referee, Michael Oliver, initially did not issue a red card but did so after a VAR review confirmed the severity of the challenge. Roberts had won the ball before making contact, but the collision left Mateta requiring lengthy treatment, including oxygen, on the field.

Mateta was subsequently stretchered off and taken to the hospital. On Instagram, he reassured fans with a message, saying: “Thank you for all your kind messages. I'm doing well. I hope to be back very soon. And stronger than ever. Well done guys for a great job today.”

Palace manager Oliver Glasner confirmed that Mateta had suffered a serious ear injury, but he emphasized that the impact could have been far worse. "Just imagine if he hits his face straight, with his power, with the studs, it is the end of JP's career," Glasner said. "I'm pretty sure he didn't want to injure JP, but you can't make an impact like that."

Steve Parish, Crystal Palace’s chairman, was blunt in his criticism of Roberts' actions, calling the challenge “the most reckless” he had ever witnessed. "That is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I've ever seen, and I think he needs to have a long hard look at himself, because he's endangering a fellow professional, maybe his life, with a challenge like that," Parish stated.

Before the incident, Mateta had been in excellent form, scoring eight goals in his previous nine games, bringing his season total to 15.

Despite the setback, Crystal Palace capitalized on the man advantage to secure the win. The match saw an own goal from Millwall's Japhet Tanganga in the 33rd minute, followed by a second from Daniel Munoz seven minutes later. Millwall responded with a goal from Wes Harding in first-half stoppage time, after a delay for Mateta’s treatment. However, it was Eddie Nketiah's looping header in the 82nd minute that sealed Palace’s place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

The match was marred by the injury, but Palace now look forward to the next stage of the competition