Jean-Philippe Mateta outlines Crystal Palace comeback plan after ear ‘destroyed’ in horror challenge | OneFootball

Striker needed 25 stitches to his left ear and is ‘lucky’ not to have suffered a more serious injury

Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta has revealed his ear was “destroyed” by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts’ horror challenge.

Speaking for the first time about the challenge, the 27-year-old says he would have suffered a more serious injury if he had not turned his head at the last second.

Mateta told L'Equipe: "I was afraid I'd have broken bones or blood in my brain but in fact, my ear was just destroyed.

Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts was sent off and given a six-game ban for his challenge on Mateta

REUTERS

"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. 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.'"

Mateta was taken to hospital where he had surgery the same day.

"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," he said.

"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 away to save my ear. He did a hell of a job."

Mateta has been training alone and hopes to get permission to join in with full sessions in the next week.

He is targeting a return for Palace in their FA Cup quarter-final away to Fulham on March 29, but would need to wear a special mask to protect his ear if he was play in that game.

Mateta said: "I have to be careful to prevent it from getting infected.

"Next week, I should be able to participate in training matches, but 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.”