Jean-Philippe Mateta has revealed the shocking extent of his injury following Liam Roberts’ reckless challenge, admitting he would have suffered far worse if not for a last-second reflex to turn his head.
The Crystal Palace forward required 25 stitches to his ear after the Millwall goalkeeper’s high boot struck him during their FA Cup fifth-round tie at Selhurst Park on March 1.
Speaking for the first time since the challenge, Mateta admitted he did not initially grasp the severity of the injury.
“I was afraid I’d have broken bones or blood in my brain, but in fact, my ear was just destroyed,” he told L’Équipe.
Roberts was sent off by Michael Oliver, but only after a VAR review. The FA later doubled his ban to six matches after determining the initial sanction was “clearly insufficient.”
“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.’”
When in hospital, “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,” Mateta added. “Obviously, it didn’t look like an ear anymore… At the beginning of the operation, the surgeon had a lot of trouble, but afterwards, as he explained to me, he found a way to save my ear. He did a hell of a job.”
Mateta, who has been in fine form with 12 Premier League goals this season, was even under consideration for his first call-up to the France national team this month.
The 27-year-old, who has been training alone since the incident, hopes to receive medical clearance to rejoin full training next week, with a protective mask required to safeguard his ear.
His target remains a return for Palace’s FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham on March 29.
“I have to be careful to prevent it from getting infected,” Mateta added. “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.”
Arsenal play Crystal Palace at the Emirates on 26 April in the Premier League.