Jean-Philippe Mateta, forward for Crystal Palace, was rushed to a hospital after suffering a brutal challenge from Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts during their FA Cup Round of 16 match. The keeper violently struck the French striker in the head, forcing an immediate substitution and his exit on a stretcher.

The incident occurred just five minutes into the match when Roberts attempted to clear a loose ball but ended up kicking Mateta in the face. The action was reviewed by VAR, which led to an immediate red card for the Millwall goalkeeper, leaving his team with ten men in a game that ended 3-1 in favor of Crystal Palace.

Mateta suffered a deep cut behind his ear and a head injury, leaving the field bleeding and needing oxygen assistance. Steve Parish, president of Crystal Palace, spoke to the BBC during halftime, expressing concern over the player’s condition and calling the tackle one of the most reckless he had ever seen in football.

"So far, we know he has a severe cut behind his ear and a head wound. He’s in the hospital, and we hope he’ll be okay. In all my years in football, I’ve never seen anything like this," Parish said. He also criticized referee Michael Oliver for needing VAR assistance to issue the red card: "If you kick someone in the head with that much force, God knows how much damage it caused."

Crystal Palace secures victory despite the scare

Taking advantage of the numerical superiority, Crystal Palace secured the win with goals from Japhet Tanganga (own goal), Dani Muñoz, and Edward Nketiah. Although Millwall responded with a goal from Wes Harding before halftime and created several chances in the second half, goalkeeper Matt Turner made crucial saves, and Nketiah sealed the victory in the 82nd minute.

For now, Mateta’s condition remains under medical evaluation. The club is expected to provide an official update on the severity of his injury and his recovery time in the coming hours.