by Oliver Glasner will welcome striker Jean-Philippe Mateta for his Crystal Palace team for the FA Cup quarter-finals against Fulham on Saturday.
Mateta will get his return after almost a month after receiving 25 stitches in the ear after the dangerous kick-fu-kick-tackle from Millwall in the previous round.
Mateta wears a protective mask in Craven Cottage, where he is in line to start the game.
With his press conference on Friday afternoon, manager Oliver Glasner said: “He has been training with us for two weeks now. Of course, always with his protection and it is also important that he trains a little.
“During the international break we had an internal game in which he could easily play 60 minutes. He is ready.
“The doctor did a great job to find the right protection. They tried two or three masks. It is approved by the Premier League and FA.”
Elsewhere, Palace came through the international break.
However, there is a slight doubt about the midfielder Will Hughes, who fell with illness.
Glasner tended to select a strong XI in the FA Cup this season, while other managers of the Premier League have rested more players.
Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucore are on the road for the season.
Crystal Palace predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Wharton, Lerma, Mitchell; Eze, Lerma; Mateta
Injured: Riad, Doucore, Ward
Doubt: Will Hughes
Date and time: 12:15 p.m. GMT, Saturday, March 29, 2025
Venue: Craven Cottage, London
TV channel and live stream: ITV1 and ITVX
