Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner expects Jean-Philippe Mateta to return for the FA Cup quarter-final clash with Fulham later this month after his horror injury against Millwall last week.
Mateta suffered deep lacerations to his left ear and required 25 stitches to close the wound after Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts’ high challenge in the eighth minute of the fifth-round tie on Saturday, but escaped without suffering a concussion. After a nine-minute stoppage, the 27-year-old was taken off on a stretcher and to a local hospital where he was assessed and discharged later that evening.
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Despite the seriousness of the injury, Palace are hopeful Mateta will be available to play Fulham on March 28.
Glasner, whose career was prematurely curtailed by a serious head injury in July 2011 which caused him to suffer a brain haemorrhage, has said Mateta’s health is the most pressing concern and will be carefully monitored.
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“He won’t play tomorrow but he’s doing well,” Glasner said in his news conference before Palace’s home game with Ipswich Town on Saturday, which Mateta will miss.
Mateta did not train this week on the instruction of doctors, with Glasner yet to see him since the injury, instead exchanging messages with his striker who has not returned to Palace’s training ground since the injury.
(Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
But he will be part of the squad which will travel to Marbella for a training camp next week. They face Norwegian side HamKam in a behind-closed-doors friendly but it is uncertain whether the Frenchman will be involved in that match.
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“He’s at home and recovering well,” Glasner added. “There were no fractures and no concussion. A huge wound was stitched but the healing is going as we expected. He will go next week with us to Marbella, training individually. If all goes as expected he will be available for the Fulham game.
“He will be back soon. His mother came from France and she takes care of him, he’s in the best hands. When a mother looks after you it’s the best care you can have.”
Roberts received a red card and a three-match ban for the challenge after the intervention of the VAR, but the Football Association have since lodged an appeal to extend it. “The FA claims that in the circumstances the standard punishment for this offence is clearly insufficient,” it said in a statement.
Glasner refused to be drawn on whether he would support a decision for any potential extended ban.
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“It’s their decision,” the Austrian said. “They will decide according to the rules they have. The goalkeeper apologised to JP, he texted him. The game has gone, this action has gone. I’m pleased it’s not as bad as we thought it could be during the game. Now it’s about looking forward to the next game.
“I always believe in fair play,” Glasner said of the incident in his post-match press conference. Sportsmen never want to injure (the) opposition. But the decision to go to the ball with his foot at this height with this intensity was completely the wrong decision (from Roberts).
“Maybe call it naive but I always believe in the good parts of everyone. I believe he didn’t want to injure JP. I will always believe this. I can judge because I had to end my career because of a head injury and even then I didn’t blame the other player — we crashed (into each other).
“I mention it quite often: health is the biggest value we all have. You have to decide so quickly. It should be somewhere in the back of your mind.”
Palace will be looking to make it four wins from five Premier League games on Saturday when they host 18th-placed Ipswich.
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(Top photo: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
