Crystal Palace striker, Jean-Philippe Mateta has revealed what he told Liam Roberts in a text-message exchange after a horror tackle from the Millwall goalkeeper left him needing 25 stitches for a severe laceration of his ear.
Crystal Palace defeated Millwall to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup earlier this month.
But the FA Cup fifth-round encounter was largely overshadowed by Roberts’ challenge on Mateta.
During the the match at Selhurst Park, Roberts came charging out of his goal to clear the ball, only to kung-fu kick Mateta in the side of the head, leaving the Crystal Palace player motionless on the pitch.
Mateta received treatment from Palace’s medical staff and was given oxygen to help his breathing before he was taken to the hospital.
The English FA later handed Roberts a six-match suspension.
“I feel good, I feel great,” Mateta told Sky Sports when asked for an update on his condition.
“I remember everything, the kick, when I was on the floor. Yeah, I remember everything, it was not like a concussion. When he kicked me I was on the floor waiting for him to get a red card and I was good to go.”
He added, “Yeah, he contacted me, he texted me and I was in hospital.
“I told him, “It’s okay, it’s football”, and we will see.
“He apologised and he was worried. But he did what he did, you know.
‘I’m not a ‘keeper. Maybe if I was a ‘keeper I would understand more… I don’t know what a goalkeeper thinks.
“But I think he did everything to me to not score but I think he just goes too far.”
