Soccer

Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts has suspension extended to six games

Crystal Palace hope Jean-Philippe Mateta can return in time for FA Cup quarter-final with Fulham

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta lies injured after a dangerous challenge from Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts during the FA Cup fifth- round match at Selhurst Park. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images
Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta lies injured after a dangerous challenge from Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts during the FA Cup fifth- round match at Selhurst Park. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images
Fri Mar 07 2025 - 15:41

Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts has been handed a six-match ban for his challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta which hospitalised the Crystal Palace forward.

Roberts’s high boot caused lacerations to Mateta’s ear after the pair came together to challenge for the ball during last Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at Selhurst Park.

The English Football Association submitted a claim to have the ban extended from the standard three matches, claiming three games was “clearly insufficient” for the offence, and the governing body confirmed on Friday that an independent regulatory panel had issued a six-match suspension to Roberts.

The Lions goalkeeper immediately said he accepted the sanction in a statement on his club’s website.

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“I am devastated by what happened. I unequivocally accept the red card as awarded and accept my punishment,” he said.

“Furthermore, it has been extremely unpleasant to observe suggestions that I intended to harm a fellow professional. I have categorically never stepped on to a football pitch with the intention of hurting anyone.

“Misleading articles and comments have resulted in an unthinkable amount of abusive messages and threats towards my family and I.

“To the footballing community who know me and reached out with support through this tough time, thank you, I appreciate every single message.”

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is optimistic Mateta will recover in time to face Fulham in their FA Cup quarter-final at the end of the month after the French striker required 25 stitches to repair his lacerated left ear.

Glasner, whose side next host Ipswich in the Premier League, told a press conference: “Mateta is doing well. He is at home and his recovery is going well. He had no fractures or concussion. Healing from the huge wound is going as we expected.

“He will go to Marbella with us next week and be just training individually. If everything goes how we wish, he will be available versus Fulham.

“We lost JP in this game, we can’t play him tomorrow, but it’s not too bad.”

Glasner insisted his players have largely put last weekend’s unsettling incident behind them.

He added: “To be honest, it wasn’t a big topic here in the training ground. The players had two days off [after the Millwall game] and, of course, everybody was in touch with JP and messaging him and I think everybody could see how he is.

“The evening after the Millwall game, it was announced all’s fine with him and everybody knows he is doing well, and he will be back soon. We started on Tuesday focusing on Ipswich.

“JP’s mother came over from France and she took care of him, so he’s in the best hands!

“He has great support at home. He will go with us to Marbella and will be in good hands again and he will start training with us.”