Against the spirit of football, Millwall fans yesterday sickeningly chanted ‘let him die’ at Jean-Philippe Mateta after the Crystal Palace star suffered a horrendous head injury that required oxygen during FA Cup fifth-round tie.
This happened as Mateta was stretchered off with a head injury. The French striker had to be stretchered off the field and required oxygen after he was kicked in the head by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts.
After a VAR review, the 30-year-old was sent off for the challenge that left Mateta stricken on the floor, with the forward later being taken to hospital. Officials and police forces feared that the game between the rivals, who were meeting in the FA Cup fifth round, would bring controversy, with Millwall fans’ disturbing chants of ‘let him die’ in the direction of Mateta being widely condemned.
The incident, coming just six minutes into the game, was initially cleared by the referee Michael Oliver who did not even give a free-kick. Mateta had been put through by a Will Hughes through-ball and was beaten to the ball by Roberts. However, following a VAR review, Roberts’ follow-through – which connected with the striker in the head – was correctly judged to be dangerous and the goalkeeper was sent off.
