Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports

WATCH: Jean-Philippe Mateta carried off on stretcher after a horrific tackle during FA Cup tie vs Millwall

Jean-Philippe Mateta was taken to the hospital by a stretcher and was seen wearing a neck brace after a reckless tackle.

Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports

The fifth-round FA Cup matches are underway and teams fight for a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals. In an early kickoff, Crystal Palace played against the championship side, Millwall. In the sixth-minute of the match, Millwall’s goalkeeper, Liam Roberts became the center of attention. His reckless tackle on Crystal Palace’s striker, Jean-Philippe Mateta left the player shell-shocked on the ground. In real-time, the tackle looked like a kung-fu kick to the head of Mateta.

This happened during the FA match between Millwall and Crystal Palace.
That challenge was absolutely appalling! The player's reckless behavior deserved a straight red card, and it's shocking that it took VAR intervention for the referees to take action.
pic.twitter.com/pGfnUoqbuK
— All Sportz 🏀⚽ (@Allsportztv) March 1, 2025

The striker was stretchered off to the hospital after the reckless tackle, with Mateta seen wearing a neck brace. However, the referee initially failed to award a red card and needed VAR’s assistance to make the decision.

Commentator criticizes the Millwall crowd for their chant

After a reckless tackle by the Millwall keeper and Mateta down on the ground, the Millwall crowd pulled one of the disgusting moves in the history of English football.

The Millwall crowd directed “let him die” chants at Jean-Philippe Mateta. On air, commentator Jonathan Pearce fiercely condemned the crowd’s behavior.

“Millwall fans are not endearing themselves to anyone with their chanting about Mateta. The football club could be revisited about that.”

Perhaps the worst tackle of all-time – Twitter reacts to the reckless tackle

Fans of the game took to Twitter to share their prayers for Jean-Philippe Mateta, expressing concern for his well-being after the shocking tackle. Many users posted messages of support, hoping for a speedy recovery and condemning the behavior of the Millwall crowd.

Jean-Philippe Mateta has been stretchered off the pitch for Crystal Palace.

This was due to a high foot challenge by the Millwall goalkeeper which he was given a straight red card for.

Strength to him… 🙏❤️ pic.twitter.com/vQDQw6BwtU
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) March 1, 2025

However, most fans criticized referee Michael Oliver for not showing a straight red card to the Millwall keeper. The VAR reviewed the decision and sent off Liam Roberts for his tackle. Some fans also criticized the keeper for his mistake with the tackle, blaming him for the situation.

Michael Oliver thinks this challenge isn’t worthy of a Red Card 🟥

Oliver needs to be sacked imo.

Every game without fail he makes an error ❌

pic.twitter.com/ZiwxjGORVf
— Lea (@Lea_EFC) March 1, 2025

Keeper should be ashamed. That’s a cowards tackle .. pic.twitter.com/u1UdKpkbaH
— • dave ellis • (@fullback03) March 1, 2025

Also Read:

Crystal Palace

FA Cup

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Millwall

Suryansh Kumar

NBA/WNBA Writer

nba

wnba

Hello, my name is Suryansh, and I write NBA/WNBA content for ThePlayoffs. I love sports, which is why I write and I love the NBA because of the stats. My aim is to find unique stats and perspectives to provide my readers with another angle on sports.