By. Ashoka Peiris
Jean-Philippe Mateta is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Crystal Palace. At this time a goalkeeper has been sent off and a star player sent to hospital after an ugly flying kick in the FA Cup.
The reason was Jean-Philippe Mateta has broken his silence following his horror FA Cup injury, that has rocked the football world.
The Crystal Palace star was rushed to the hospital after being poleaxed in the first half of The Eagle’s fifth-round win over Millwall, whom they beat 3-1 on Sunday morning (AEDT) at Selhurst Park in south London.
Mateta JP was on the receiving end of a flying kick challenge from Lions stopper Liam Roberts, who was belatedly given a red card, the international news reports.
In that moment that has left football fans staggered, referee Michael Oliver only issued a red card after a VAR review of the incident.
The Frenchman was left bleeding and was treated for nearly ten minutes. And during that time, before he was taken to the hospital, it is said that a minority of the traveling Lions fans mocked him cruelly. Also, it has since emerged that Millwall fans shouted sickening taunts while Mateta was lying motionless on the ground.
During the match, Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts has ran up and flying kick at Mateta. After that attack, medical staff were seen applying an oxygen mask to his face while one medical officer held Mateta’s neck still out of precaution of a neck or spine injury.
Furthermore, Millwall fans have branded X as “scum” by some fans, with chants of “let him die, let him die” heard from their supporters’ end.
However, this kind of hate speech is not expected by serious FA Cup fans.