Liam Roberts challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta the ‘most reckless' I've seen, says Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish
Updated 02/03/2025 at 17:42 GMT
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Crystal Palace chair Steve Parish labelled Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts’ high-boot on Jean-Philippe Mateta as the "most reckless" he'd ever seen. The Frenchman, who was rushed to hospital after the sixth-minute red card offence, has subsequently confirmed he is "doing well", while the club confirmed he received 25 stitches to a "severe laceration" to his left ear and that he has left hospital.
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Crystal Palace chair Steve Parish labelled Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts’ challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta as the "most reckless" he's ever seen.
Roberts was sent off six minutes into the FA Cup encounter at Selhurst Park after he caught the Palace striker’s head with a high boot while challenging for an aerial ball.
Mateta received medical attention for almost 10 minutes before being stretchered off and taken to hospital. Palace confirmed that he received 25 stitches to a "severe laceration" to his left ear and has been discharged from hospital.
When asked about the extent of the injury after his side's 3-1 victory in th fifth round, Eagles boss Oliver Glasner said, via the Palace website: "He’s at hospital now and has a serious ear injury, but fingers are crossed that it's not too serious.
"I think he will definitely miss the Ipswich game [on March 8], 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."
Mateta said in an Instagram story after the game: "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."
In a statement on Saturday night, Palace said: "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. 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."
Parish: Most reckless challenge I’ve ever seen
When discussing the incident at half-time, Parish told the BBC: "He's got a bad gash behind his ear and a head injury. He's at the hospital and we hope for the best.
"There's a lot of emotion in football but we need to talk about that challenge. I've never seen a challenge like it... that's the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I've ever seen.
"He needs to have a long, hard look at himself because he's endangering a fellow professional with a challenge like that.
"And why the referee needs to go to the screen, I have no idea... If you're kicking him in the head at full force, who knows what kind of damage could be done."
The Palace chair struck a calmer tone after the game, but said Mateta’s "ear is almost in half".
He told Sky Sports: "I think he [Mateta] is OK, I've had a message from his agents. It's a head injury so you don't really know, but he's got a really bad gash. I think his ear is almost in half. It's a bad one but I've said what I've said.
"The game's over and credit to Millwall, they made it difficult for us today and we're through to the next round, which JP [Mateta] will be happy about and we are as well.
"I wasn't really angry [in his half-time interview], I hope I didn't come across like that. I watch a lot of football and it was some challenge.
"You've got to assume the kid doesn't mean it. I think he's het up, there's a lot of pressure and he hasn't played for them that much. I'm sure he'll want to apologise and I heard he's 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 he's OK."
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Neil rebuffs Parish claim
Millwall boss Alex Neil played down the incident at full-time and said it was not the worst challenge he had seen, though admitted he had yet to see it back.
He said: "I don't think there's any intent. Why would there have been? It's the start of the game, the ball gets put in behind and he tries to get there.
"I certainly wouldn't label it as the worst challenge I've seen. We don't want the lad to be injured so naturally, we wish Mateta well and hope he's back on the pitch soon.
"For me, it's mistimed, he's been sent off, he's disappointed. We wish Mateta well and it's nothing more than that for me.
"At the time when it happened, I didn't know if he'd 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 weren't working, so we couldn't really watch the incident back.
"I haven't seen it back since but he mistimed it and got sent off, which at that stage of the game, makes the game doubly difficult for us. It was disappointing. He's made a call and hasn't quite got it right."
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