by The striker of Crystal Palace Jean-Philippe Mateta has revealed that his ear was “destroyed” by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts’ Horror Challenge.
Mateta had 25 stitches on his left ear after being caught by a high trunk by Roberts on March 1st during a FA Cup tie in Selhurst Park.
The 27-year-old spoke about the challenge for the first time and had suffered a serious injury if he hadn’t turned his head in the last second.
Mateta said to L’Equipe: “I was afraid that I had broken bones or blood in my brain, but in fact my ear was only destroyed.
“At the last moment I had the reflex to turn my face. I was lucky, because if I hadn’t done it, I would have taken his foot straight into my head and it would have been much worse. After that, I never lost the awareness. I was lying on the floor and I said to the doctor:” I want to play again. “But he and saw my ear and replied: ‘No, you have to go.’ “
Mateta was taken to the hospital, where he was operated on the same day.
“A specialist for plastic surgery came and took photos of my ear, which he refused to show me so as not to let her stay in my head,” he said.
“Obviously it no longer looked like an ear. At the beginning of the operation, the surgeon had a lot of trouble, but afterwards, as he explained to me, he found to save my ear. He did a damn good job.”
Mateta has trained alone and hopes to receive permission in the next week to join complete meetings.
He aims to return for Palace in the FA Cup quarter-finals to Fulham on March 29, but would have to wear a special mask to protect his ear if he played in this game.
Mateta said: “I have to be careful to prevent it from being infected.
“Next week I should be able to take part in training games, but I need a mask while my ear ends the healing. I sent several models and I have to choose between those who simply cover the ear that cover the whole face.”
