Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner says that striker Jean-Philippe Mateta “is conscious and in hospital” after being stretchered off in his side’s 3-1 FA Cup win over Millwall on Saturday afternoon.
Mateta was injured after a horror challenge from Millwall’s Liam Roberts, in which the goalkeeper rushed off his line and appeared to kick the striker in the jaw before his boot followed through on the side of his head.
Roberts was then sent off in the eighth minute after a VAR review, while Mateta received lengthy treatment on the pitch, being administered oxygen before he was stretchered off and into an ambulance.
Palace chairman Steve Parish labelled the tackle “the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen” when interviewed at half-time.
And speaking after the match at Selhurst Park, Glasner told the BBC that Mateta was conscious, though 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 into the quarter-finals but when you lose a player, especially with a foul like this, you have two different feelings in your stomach,” said the Austrian.
"Honestly, I didn't want to see it, I just watched it and it is terrible.
“I'm sure the goalkeeper didn't want to injure JP [Mateta] in this situation, no player wants this. But with the foot at that height, you can't do it because it's so dangerous and we all have responsibilities for our health.
“I don't want to blame him but it is a terrible foul,” he added.
Palace went on to earn a 3-1 win over their south London rivals, with Daniel Muñoz and Eddie Nketiah adding to an own goal from Japhet Tanganga.
And the Eagles will now wait to hear who they will face in the quarter-finals, with the draw taking place on Sunday, 2 March after the conclusion of Manchester United’s match against Fulham.
