Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts has had his suspension increased from three to six matches by the Football Association (FA) after being red carded following a challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Roberts, 30, received a straight red card in Millwall’s FA Cup fifth-round match against Crystal Palace after an attempt at a clearance saw him connect with striker Mateta’s head.
Referee Michael Oliver did not initially award a foul but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) recommended a review of the incident and Roberts was sent off.
Mateta was given oxygen on the pitch before being taken off on a stretcher from the field of play in a neck brace and being directly taken to an ambulance. The 27-year-old was taken to St George’s hospital and Palace confirmed that he was discharged later that day after “receiving specialist treatment and 25 stitches to a severe laceration to his left ear.”
Roberts initially received a standard three-match ban for serious foul play, but the FA has subsequently increased the suspension to six games after saying earlier in the week: “In the circumstances the standard punishment for this offence is clearly insufficient.”
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Following a hearing, the Regulatory Commission upheld the FA’s claim which saw the typical three-match suspension increased to six games.
In a statement shared by Millwall, Roberts said it had “been a really difficult week” for everyone, including the goalkeeper and his family.
“As soon as I could, I reached out to Jean-Philippe personally to apologise, and I was thankful to hear back from him that evening that he was OK and reassured me not to worry,” Roberts said.
“I am devastated by what happened. I unequivocally accept the red card as awarded and accept my punishment. Furthermore, it has been extremely unpleasant to observe suggestions that I intended to harm a fellow professional. I have categorically never stepped onto a football pitch with the intention of hurting anyone.”
Palace chairman Steve Parish said that it was “the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I have ever seen.”
“(Roberts) 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,” Parish told BBC Sport. “It was just a terrible, terrible challenge.”
Millwall manager Alex Neil said he believes there was no “intent” from his goalkeeper to hurt Mateta.
“He’s misjudged it and caught the lad,” he told BBC Sport. “He has mistimed it, he got sent off which at that stage made the game doubly difficult for us.
“I don’t think it is meant. I don’t think there is any intent, why would there be intent?”
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The shocking challenge on Mateta that ‘endangered’ the striker’s life
(Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
