Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta is poised to return to action in the FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham this Saturday, having recovered from a serious ear injury sustained in the previous round.
The 27-year-old French striker has been sidelined since his last match, during which he required 25 stitches to his left ear after a collision with Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts in the FA Cup fifth round on March 1. The incident, in which Roberts struck Mateta as he charged out for the ball, resulted in the goalkeeper receiving a six-game suspension.
During this hiatus, which included a two-week international break, Mateta has been working on his fitness. Palace manager Oliver Glasner confirmed on Friday that Mateta, who has netted 15 goals across all competitions this season, is now ready to return to the pitch at Craven Cottage.
“He has been training with us for two weeks now,” said Glasner, emphasizing that Mateta has been practicing with protective gear. “We had an internal match during the international break where he played for 60 minutes without any issues. He’s prepared for the game.”
Mateta will don a protective mask for the match against Fulham. Glasner humorously suggested, “I told him he might as well try water polo given his height. It may look a bit unusual, but he feels comfortable in it. If he scores a header tomorrow, then we’ll know it was the right decision regarding his protection.”
The incident has drawn strong reactions, with Palace chairman Steve Parish labeling it the “most reckless challenge” he has ever witnessed. However, Mateta took a more forgiving stance, describing the play as a result of “too much emotion” during the game. He shared, “Liam reached out to me while I was in the hospital, and I reassured him that it was alright; it’s part of football. He was concerned and apologized.”
— AFP
