Crystal Palace's Mateta Hospitalized After Roberts' Reckless Tackle

During an FA Cup match, Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta suffered a serious head injury after being kicked by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts, who received a red card for the challenge. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner described the foul as a very serious incident but expressed that Roberts likely did not intend to injure Mateta. Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish condemned the tackle as 'the most reckless challenge' he has ever seen in football, emphasizing the dangerous nature of Roberts' actions. Despite the severity of the injury, Mateta later reassured fans that he is doing well and hopes to return soon. Millwall's manager Alex Neil acknowledged the red card but disagreed with the harshness of the criticism towards Roberts, stating there was no intent to harm. The incident overshadowed Crystal Palace's 3-1 victory, which advanced them to the quarter-finals.