‘Endangered his life’ – Crystal Palace owner gives Mateta injury update live on BBC and slams ‘reckless’ Millwall star


STEVE PARISH has claimed Liam Roberts ENDANGERED Jean-Philippe Mateta’s life with his horror challenge.

In-form Crystal Palace hitman Mateta was rushed to the hospital after being on the receiving end of a horror tackle from the Millwall keeper in the first half of the tasty FA Cup fifth-round tie.

Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts makes a dangerous tackle.
REX

Liam Roberts crashed into Jean-Philippe Mateta in Millwall’s FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace[/caption]

Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts karate kicks Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta.
GETTY

The Millwall stopper got the ball, but his left boot followed through and felled Mateta[/caption]

Soccer player receiving medical attention on the field.
Getty

The tackle drew blood and resulted in Mateta being transported to the hospital[/caption]

Steve Parish, chairman and co-owner of Crystal Palace, being interviewed.
BBC

Palace owner Steve Parish went on an extraordinary mid-match rant about the challenge[/caption]

Roberts booted the striker in the head as he recklessly cleared the ball with a kung-fu kick of a challenge, which eventually earned him a red card.

Parish couldn’t quite believe his eyes and voiced his frustrations during a mid-match interview with the BBC.

He said: “So far what we know is he’s got a bad gash behind his ear and a head injury. He’s at the hospital so we hope for the best.

“There’s a lot of emotion in football but we need to talk about that challenge.

“In all the time I’ve watched football, I’ve never seen a challenge like it.

“I looked to see how old the keeper is, he’s 30 years old.

“That is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen and he needs to have a long, hard look at himself that lad.

“Because he’s endangering a fellow professional, maybe even his life, with a challenge like that.”

Screenshot of spectators at a soccer game.
BBC

Steve Parish mimicked Liam Roberts’ tackle in the stands[/caption]

Parish couldn’t quite believe that referee Michael Oliver needed to review the incident before giving Roberts his marching orders.

He continued: “It’s very difficult for me to talk about the rest of the game because we’re worried about JP in hospital. It’s just a terrible, terrible challenge.


“That goalkeeper hasn’t shown a duty of care to another professional.

“Someone mentioned there was one in the 1982 World Cup like it.

“But it’s a dreadful challenge and why the referee needs to go the screen, I’ve no idea.

“Forget about him being a football player, he is a human being. That is not a normal challenge.

“If you’re kicking someone in the head with the full force, God knows what damage has been done to him.”

Palace raced into a 2-0 lead in seven first-half minutes thanks to an own goal from Japhet Tanganga and a strike from Daniel Munoz.

But ten-man Millwall reduced the arrears in first-half stoppage time through Wes Harding.

Injured soccer player being stretchered off the field by medical personnel.
REX

Jean-Philippe Mateta was rushed to hospital after being treated on the pitch[/caption]

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..

The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.

About admin