Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta has issued an update following the horror challenge during their FA Cup clash with Millwall.
Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts received a red card just eight minutes in after clattering into Mateta, who received treatment on the pitch for seven minutes. The high-footed challenge led VAR to intervene and referee Michael Oliver sending him off for his follow-through kick.
Mateta needed to be given oxygen on the pitch at Selhurst Park before being stretchered off to applause and then being taken to hospital. Taking to his Instagram stories to share an update following the game, Mateta wrote: “Thank you all for your kind messages. I’m doing well. I hope to be back very soon. And stronger than ever. Well done guys for the great job today. I love you. JP.”
(Image: Instagram / iammateta)
At half-time, Palace chairman Steve Parish expressed his thoughts on the incident and confirmed that the striker was at hospital with a bad gash behind his ear and a head injury.
He said: “There’s a lot of emotion in football but we need to talk about that challenge. 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.
“That is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch that I think I’ve ever seen and he needs to have a long hard look at himself that lad because he’s endangering a fellow professional – and maybe even his life with a challenge like that. So it’s very 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.”
Mateta’s potential absence could be a significant setback for the Eagles, as the Frenchman has netted four times in his last four Premier League outings, bringing his season tally to 12 goals.
He is enjoying his best spell at Palace, having bagged 16 league goals last season.
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