Player had to be ventilated
After horror foul: fans call “let him die”
01.03.2025 – 4:09 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The FA Cup game between Crystal Palace and FC Millwall falls into the background after a terrifying scene. The focus: an old acquaintance from the Bundesliga.
A brutal foul overshadowed the FA Cup game between Premier League Association Crystal Palace and second division FC Millwall. In the duel between the two London football clubs, Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts hurried out of his goal a few minutes after the game started to clarify the ball at the head height of Palace player Jean-Philippe Mateta. During the completely missed attempt, Roberts hit the former Mainz striker with the tunnels of his left shoe on the side of his head.
The 27 -year -old attacker remained in the initial phase after the collision and had to be supplied with oxygen via a mask. After several minutes, Mateta was brought from the square and the hospital on a stretcher. The striker is the best scorer of the Palace team, which was supervised by ex-Bundesliga coach Oliver Glasner with twelve goals so far.
Referee Michael Oliver initially did not even show the yellow card to 30-year-old Roberts. He only revised his decision after the video evidence was used and sent the goalkeeper from the field with red after he had also looked at the scene on the screen. “That was the most ruthless attack on a soccer field I’ve ever seen,” said Palace chairman Steve Parish, who then also sharply criticized Robert’s culprit.
“He (Roberts, editor’s note) has to make it out with himself, because he endangered a colleague, maybe even endangered his life with such a foul,” said a visibly attached Parish. “Just a terrible, terrible foul.”
Millwall could threaten further trouble: In the TV broadcast of the game, it was clearly heard how some of the guest fans during Mateta’s treatment “Let Him die!” (Dt. “Let him die!”) Called.