Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
Crystal Palace ahead Jean-Philippe Mateta is concentrating on a return to motion for subsequent week’s FA Cup fixture in opposition to Fulham – although he might want to put on a protecting masks.
Mateta suffered a critical harm earlier this month within the fifth-round match in opposition to Millwall after a reckless problem from goalkeeper Liam Roberts.
The sort out resulted in Mateta being kicked within the head, requiring instant medical consideration and a visit to the hospital.
Talking in an interview with L’Equipe, Mateta shared that the first harm was to his ear, describing it as “simply destroyed.”
He admitted that the end result may have been considerably worse.
“I used to be afraid I’d have damaged bones or blood in my mind, however in truth, my ear was simply destroyed,” Mateta mentioned.
“On the final second, I had the reflex to show my face. I used to be fortunate as a result of if I hadn’t, I’d have taken his foot proper within the head, and it could have been a lot worse.
Jean-Philippe Mateta has revealed his plastic surgeon ‘needed to SAVE his ear’ following a horror sort out from Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts 😲🏥 pic.twitter.com/tjenzByuqL
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) March 18, 2025
“After that, I by no means misplaced consciousness. I used to be mendacity on the bottom, and I mentioned to the physician: ‘I’m fantastic, I wish to play once more.’ However he, seeing my ear, replied, ‘No, you must go.’
“A cosmetic surgery specialist got here and took photos of my ear, which he refused to point out me, in order to not allow them to keep in my head.
“Clearly, it didn’t seem like an ear any extra. At the start of the operation, the surgeon had a whole lot of bother, however afterwards, as he defined to me, he discovered a strategy to save my ear. He did a hell of a job.”
Following the surgical procedure, Mateta was discharged from the hospital. In the meantime, Crystal Palace secured a 3-1 victory over Millwall, and Roberts obtained a six-game suspension for his reckless problem.
Trying forward, Palace will meet Fulham within the FA Cup quarter-finals later this month, and Mateta is keen to be obtainable for choice.
“I’ve to watch out to stop it from getting contaminated, I’ve to scrub it each time I sweat,” Mateta added.
“Subsequent week, I ought to be capable to take part in coaching matches, however for that, I’ll want a masks whereas my ear finishes therapeutic.
“I’ve been despatched a number of fashions, and I’ll have to decide on between people who simply cowl the ear and others that cowl the entire face.”
