Glasner gives Mateta & team news update pre-Ipswich
Oliver Glasner has confirmed that Jean-Philippe Mateta is recovering well from the injury he sustained against Millwall last weekend.
Having been stretchered off the pitch following an instance of serious foul play in the opening minutes of the FA Cup tie, it was revealed later on Saturday that the forward had been discharged from St George’s Hospital where he received specialist treatment and 25 stitches to a severe laceration to his left ear.
Mateta will not be involved when Palace host Ipswich Town at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon, nor will midfielder Will Hughes, who is suspended through accumulation of yellow cards.
Glasner – speaking in his pre-match press conference – said of Mateta: “He won't play tomorrow – but he's doing well.
“He is at home and his recovery is going well. Fortunately, he had no fractures nor concussion. It's a huge wound, stitched, but healing is going like we expected.
"He will go with us to Marbella next week, training individually. If everything goes how we expect and wish, he should be available for the Fulham game [after the March international break]."
Asked about his players’ reaction to the challenge by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts, who was sent off following the incident, Glasner added: “To be honest, it wasn’t a big topic here in our 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, he already announced all was fine with him. He's such a lovely person. 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! When your mother looks after you, it's the best thing you can have. 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.”
Following Saturday’s match against the Tractor Boys, Palace will then travel to Marbella for a warm-weather training camp – during which they will play a friendly against Norwegian side HamKam, LIVE on Palace TV+ - amidst a three-week break before their next competitive fixture.
“It's for several weeks [before a competitive game], now that we can’t play Newcastle,” Glasner confirmed. “Then we can’t train for 10 days because many players go to their international games.
“We have two games [this month], Ipswich and then Fulham in the FA Cup, and I told the players I felt it a little bit after this three-game week [against Fulham, Aston Villa and Millwall]: three wins and with all the emotions of the Millwall game, with the injury, and then two days off it felt like a little bit [taking a breath] for everyone, me as well.
“Now it’s important for us to find the focus. We have Ipswich tomorrow and we need to perform at our best to beat them, and the players showed this week in training they have a lot of confidence to beat them.”
Match details
- Saturday, 8th March
- 15:00 GMT
- Selhurst Park
- Live audio commentary on Palace TV+