Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta is targeting a return to action for next week’s FA Cup fixture against Fulham – though he will need to wear a protective mask.
Mateta suffered a serious injury earlier this month in the fifth-round match against Millwall after a reckless challenge from goalkeeper Liam Roberts.
The tackle resulted in Mateta being kicked in the head, requiring immediate medical attention and a trip to the hospital.
Speaking in an interview with L’Equipe, Mateta shared that the primary damage was to his ear, describing it as “just destroyed.”
He admitted that the outcome could have been significantly worse.
“I was afraid I’d have broken bones or blood in my brain, but in fact, my ear was just destroyed,” Mateta said.
“At the last moment, I had the reflex to turn my face. I was lucky because if I hadn’t, I would have taken his foot right in the head, and it would have been much worse.
Jean-Philippe Mateta has revealed his plastic surgeon ‘had to SAVE his ear’ following a horror tackle from Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts 😲🏥 pic.twitter.com/tjenzByuqL
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) March 18, 2025
“After that, I never lost consciousness. I was lying on the ground, and I said to the doctor: ‘I’m fine, I want to play again.’ But he, seeing my ear, replied, ‘No, you have to go.’
“A plastic surgery specialist came and took pictures of my ear, which he refused to show me, so as not to let them stay in my head.
“Obviously, it didn’t look like an ear any more. At the beginning of the operation, the surgeon had a lot of trouble, but afterwards, as he explained to me, he found a way to save my ear. He did a hell of a job.”
Following the surgery, Mateta was discharged from the hospital. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace secured a 3-1 victory over Millwall, and Roberts received a six-game suspension for his reckless challenge.
Looking ahead, Palace will meet Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-finals later this month, and Mateta is eager to be available for selection.
“I have to be careful to prevent it from getting infected, I have to wash it every time I sweat,” Mateta added.
“Next week, I should be able to participate in training matches, but for that, I’ll need a mask while my ear finishes healing.
“I’ve been sent several models, and I’ll have to choose between those that just cover the ear and others that cover the whole face.”
