Football
Jean-Phillipe Mateta Reveals Plastic Surgeon Had To Save His Ear After Liam Roberts Horror Tackle
Kieran Lynch is a sports writer specialising in football and Formula One. He is a sports journalism graduate of Leeds Trinity University and completed a Press Association NCTJ course in Newcastle. He previously worked as a news reporter for the Eastern Daily Press in Norfolk and spent five years as a sports writer at the MailOnline.
Get to know Kieran Lynch betterPublished18 Mar 2025
Crystal Palace striker Jean-Phillipe Mateta has provided an injury update after his ear was ‘destroyed’ after Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts’ horror challenge earlier this month.
With eight minutes on the clock during their FA Cup tie, Roberts rushed out of his box in an attempt to beat Mateta to the ball.
Instead, he caught Mateta with a brutal kick to the head which wiped the Palace star out.
Michael Oliver required VAR assistance to send Roberts off, while Mateta received on-field treatment for 10 minutes.
Mateta was taken to hospital where he required 26 stitches.
Speaking to French publication L’Equipe, Mateta has revealed he was concerned that he could have suffered bleeding in his brain.
He also revealed that plastic surgeons had to ‘save his ear’ after it was ‘destroyed’.
Jean-Phillipe Mateta Injury Update: Palace Striker Opens Up On Ear Injury
Jean-Phillipe Mateta revealed that he could have suffered a worse injury had he not reacted quickly to the oncoming foot of Liam Roberts during Millwall.
‘I was afraid I’d have broken bones or blood in my brain but in fact, my ear was just destroyed,‘ said Mateta.
‘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.’
Mateta revealed that he had accepted Roberts’ apology. He also revealed surgeons refused to show him pictures of what his ear looked like after the challenge.
He said: “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.
“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.”
🇫🇷✅ Jean-Philippe Mateta is back in training for Crystal Palace! 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/8FiPW4Likx
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) March 12, 2025
When Will Jean-Phillipe Mateta Return To Action?
Jean-Phillipe Mateta’s injury update comes after he already returned to Crystal Palace training.
The Frenchman was seen training in a black headband with a plaster at the bottom of the ear.
He will have more time to recover over the international break. Palace hope to have him back when they take on Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday, March 29.