Mateta Aiming For Comeback In Crystal Palace's FA Cup Quarter-Final Against Fulham

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Jean-Philippe Mateta is eager to return for Crystal Palace in their FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham. This comes after he resumed training following a severe injury sustained against Millwall. The incident involved a high tackle by Millwall's goalkeeper, Liam Roberts, who was dismissed just eight minutes into the match at Selhurst Park. Roberts' initial three-match suspension was extended to six games after the FA deemed the original penalty insufficient.

Mateta required 25 stitches after being taken to hospital but missed only one game, which Palace won 1-0 against Ipswich Town. Despite the injury, Mateta has been in excellent form this season, scoring 15 goals in 33 appearances across all competitions. In an interview with L'Equipe, Mateta revealed that most of the damage was to his ear and expressed relief that the injury wasn't more severe.

Following Mateta's injury, Crystal Palace secured a 3-1 victory over Millwall. Japhet Tanganga's own-goal was followed by goals from Daniel Munoz and Eddie Nketiah. With Preston North End as the only lower-ranked team left in the FA Cup, Palace aims to continue their success when the competition resumes after the international break.

Mateta hopes to be ready for Fulham but mentioned he will wear a protective mask during matches until his stitches heal fully. "I have to be careful to prevent it from getting infected," Mateta explained. He added that he must wash his ear every time he sweats and will need a mask while participating in training matches next week.

The French forward described how he narrowly avoided more serious injuries by turning his face at the last moment during the tackle. "I was afraid I'd have broken bones or blood in my brain," Mateta said, adding that his ear was "just destroyed." He credited a plastic surgery specialist for saving his ear despite initial difficulties during surgery.

Mateta shared that he never lost consciousness during the incident and initially wanted to continue playing. However, medical staff insisted on immediate treatment due to the severity of his ear injury. A plastic surgeon took pictures of his ear but chose not to show them to Mateta to avoid distressing him further.

The striker is currently evaluating several mask models sent to him for protection during play. Some masks cover only the ear while others shield the entire face. As he prepares for his comeback, Mateta remains focused on ensuring a full recovery while contributing effectively to Crystal Palace's campaign.