FA Cup Final: Why is Mateta wearing headgear in Crystal Palace vs Manchester City?
FA Cup Final: Why is Mateta wearing headgear in Crystal Palace vs Manchester City?
Crystal Palace is up against Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Jean-Philippe Mateta is really standing out as the TV camera pans along the two teams.
The 27-year-old Frenchman is wearing protective headgear that includes a thick cover over his left ear, which had to be saved by a plastic surgeon after Mateta was on the end of a horrific-looking, head-high challenge on Palace’s path to Wembley.
Mateta needed 25 stitches and nearly a month out of action following that attempted tackle by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts early in Palace’s fifth-round win on March 1. It was described by Palace chairman Steve Parish as “the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen.”
Since his return to the team, Mateta has scored just two goals in 10 games since his return to Palace’s team.
During the summer break, Mateta participated in the Olympic men’s football tournament as one of the over-age players selected by France for its gold-medal bid on home soil.
Mateta started every game and scored five goals, including a stoppage-time equalizer in the final to take the game to extra time against eventual champion Spain at the Parc des Princes.
Nine days later, he was starting for Palace against Brentford on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
