Jean Philippe-Mateta wore a huge bandage on his left ear in a heartfelt interview with Sky Sports as he opened up on his horrific injury and surgery.
The Crystal Palace striker says he didn’t feel any pain when Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts kicked him in the head earlier this month – and even wanted to carry on playing.
But Mateta, 27, was taken off after receiving on-pitch treatment, immediately hospitalised, and needed 26 stitches.
He has returned to first-team training and hopes to play soon after the international break, likely with a protective mask.
‘I feel great. I feel very good and can’t wait to come back. I remember everything – the kick, when I was on the floor. It was not like concussion,’ Mateta told Sky Sports.
‘Will (Hughes) gave me a long ball, I pushed the defender, and I turned my head to see where the ‘keeper was, and as soon as I turned my head I saw something black coming to my head.
Jean-Philippe Mateta sported a gigantic bandage as he sat down for a chat with Sky Sports
The Crystal Palace star says he felt no pain and wanted to play on after Millwall’s Liam Roberts kicked him in the head
Roberts has been banned for six matches after his red card – and apologised to Mateta
‘I just moved my head and took everything (on my ear). I saw something coming and I just moved, reflex. This saved me.
‘When he kicked me, I was on the floor, waiting for him to get the red card, and I (felt I was) good to go.
‘But the doc saw the injury, me I didn’t see it. I put the blood off and (wanted to) keep going, and the doc was like, “listen to me, you have to go.”
‘I was arguing for maybe 30 seconds, (saying) “I want to play,” and he was like, “no, you have to go.”
(Could you feel the pain or blood?) ‘Not the pain, the blood for sure. But I was thinking it was a little cut. But no, it was not painful.
‘The doctor kept me very positive, and now he is my best friend, the doctor from Palace! We keep texting each other every day. I show him my hair every day.
(On plastic surgeon): ‘I think he’s used to it, but when he saw my injury, he didn’t know how he would start! He didn’t know, but he did very well.
‘They showed me, the doc showed me three days after. He didn’t want to show me. But I was like, “show me the picture.”
The Frenchman was hospitalised and required 26 stitches after being kicked in the head by goalkeeper Liam Roberts in the FA Cup
Mateta has admitted the plastic surgeon ‘did a hell of a job’ in order to save his ear, which ‘didn’t look like an ear any more’
‘Everything was open, cut here, cut open, behind was worse, cut everywhere. It was crazy.
‘He (Roberts) contacted me, I was in hospital. I told him, “it’s ok, it’s football,” and we’ll see. he apologised and he was worried, but he did what he did, you know?’
Mateta’s injury against Millwall came when goalkeeper Roberts caught him with a high foot – resulting in a straight red card.
The incident occurred just five minutes after the starting whistle of the FA Cup clash between the South London rivals.
Roberts was handed a six-match band for the kick but later revealed he apologised to Mateta, denying there was any malice behind his tackle. Mateta says he has forgiven him.
The injury abruptly halted his outstanding form throughout this season, with 12 goals in the Premier League.
Mateta is currently valued at £40million and was heavily linked with a move elsewhere throughout the entire winter transfer window.
It is expected that Manchester United and Arsenal are expected to compete for the player’s signature this summer.
Mateta has returned to Crystal Palace training sessions and could make an appearance after the international break
The 27-year-old appeared with a black headband with a plaster below the ear and will wear a mask in his next game
He also told L’Equipe: ‘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,’ he continued. ‘Obviously, it didn’t look like an ear any more.
‘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.
‘Next week, I should be able to participate in training matches, but for that, 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.’
