Jean-Philippe Mateta shows true colours with response to Millwall keeper after horror injury
Jean-Philippe Mateta is set to return to Crystal Palace training next week after Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts made contact with him following his horror kung-fu kick
Jean-Philippe Mateta isn't holding a grudge against Millwall's goalie Liam Roberts, even after catching a nasty kung-fu kick from the goalkeeper in their FA Cup showdown.
The Palace ace was left needing a whopping 25 stitches for a "severe laceration" to his left ear, yet he's already eyeing a return for the Eagles' quarter-final FA Cup clash.
Roberts reached out to Mateta on Saturday night, and it turns out there are no hard feelings on the French striker's part as they exchanged best wishes.
Mateta might be missing Palace's upcoming match versus Ipswich this Saturday, but post-international break he could be back in action when they tackle Fulham.
It was a bittersweet 3-1 victory over Millwall for Palace, with Mateta and manager Oliver Glasner dishing to BBC Sport: "He is conscious and he is in hospital. His ear looks terrible. It's a very serious injury so we hope all the best for him.
"We are not really happy. We can't be really happy. Of course it's a great win and we are into the quarter-finals, but when you lose a player, especially with a foul like this, you have two different feelings in your stomach.
"Honestly, I didn't want to see it. I just watched it and it's terrible. I'm sure the goalkeeper didn't want to injure JP in this situation, no player wants this.
"But if you get to the ball with this intensity, with the foot at this height, you cannot do that. It's so dangerous and we all have responsibilities for our health," reports the Mirror.
"I don't want to blame him [Roberts], but it is a terrible foul. I didn't see it in the game, it was so quick. I could see the goalkeeper had a lot of intensity, but he touched the ball first. I have seen it now in slow motion, and it is worse.
"The players did well until the 55th minute in the first half. We controlled the game, the lead was 2-0, we unnecessarily gave them the ball before half-time and then all of a sudden it was 2-1. They got their belief back.
"The second half wasn't the best half, we didn't create a lot of chances but Eddie [Nketiah] decided the game. It was an amazing header. It is tough to talk about the game because I have this clip [of the challenge on Mateta] in my mind.
"We are going to quarter-finals in the FA Cup, a great achievement. Fingers crossed and hoping all the best for JP."