- Jean-Philippe Mateta was on the receiving end of a horror tackle on Saturday
- Millwall fans chanted ‘let him die’ while the Crystal Palace striker was treated
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Is it harsh on Anthony Gordon that he misses the Carabao Cup final?
Millwall have banned the Daily Mail from attending the club’s matches and press conferences for reporting how their fans loudly chanted ‘let him die’ while Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was surrounded by paramedics and being fitted with an oxygen mask on the pitch at Selhurst Park.
Mateta required 25 stitches after the Championship side’s goalkeeper Liam Roberts hurtled into him at speed during Saturday’s controversial FA Cup clash in what has been widely described as a ‘karate kick’ head-high challenge.
Palace chairman Steve Parish said the X-rated tackle endangered Mateta’s life, and our coverage highlighted Roberts’ recklessness and the behaviour of Millwall fans in the away end who chose to mock the Palace player’s horrific injury.
The Football Association are unable to act on the ‘let him die’ chants but are investigating potential homophobic abuse aimed by Millwall fans at Ben Chilwell, the Palace defender on loan from Chelsea.
The FA also have until 1pm on Tuesday to submit a claim of ‘clearly insufficient’ punishment if they feel Roberts deserves more than the standard three-game suspension for a straight red card. Roberts apologised to Mateta privately on Saturday evening.
It was after requesting to speak to Roberts, the 30-year-old who has not yet talked about the incident and who was criticised by Mail Sport columnist Chris Sutton on Monday’s It’s All Kicking Off podcast, that we learned of our ban.
Millwall have banned the Daily Mail from attending the club’s matches and press conferences
Mail Sport reported how Millwall fans loudly chanted ‘let him die’ while Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was surrounded by paramedics and being fitted with an oxygen mask
Mateta needed 25 stitches after Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts hurtled into him at speed during Saturday’s FA Cup clash – in what has been widely described as a ‘karate kick’ tackle
Among the accusations directed at the Daily Mail was that we did not sufficiently report Palace’s supporters borrowing the ‘let him die’ chant to mock Millwall’s Camiel Neghli when he turned his ankle nearly 30 minutes after the Mateta incident.
That was highlighted in both our Sunday match report as well as Monday’s comment piece, in which we wrote ‘two wrongs do not make a right’ while describing the away fans’ behaviour as ‘boorish’ and ‘beastly’ for singing it originally as Mateta lay seriously hurt with a head wound.
Checks made on Monday with correspondents from other newspapers who covered Palace’s 3-1 FA Cup win over Millwall – and mentioned the ‘let him die’ chants in their own coverage – found that they have not received a ban.
Millwall condemned the criticism and abuse aimed at their goalkeeper on Monday, saying in a statement: ‘The club are disgusted by abuse directed towards goalkeeper Liam Roberts following Saturday’s unfortunate collision with Jean-Philippe Mateta.
‘The reporting on the matter, as well as disgraceful suggestions made by certain news organisations and high-profile figures within the sport that Liam intended to harm Jean-Philippe, has contributed to the unwarranted character assassination of Liam and fuelled abhorrent online abuse towards him.
‘No player at Millwall Football Club steps on to the pitch with the intent to harm another, and the club will continue to support Liam, who reached out to Jean-Philippe personally on Saturday evening with an apology which was accepted immediately. The club are pleased to hear positive updates from Jean-Philippe and wish him the best in his recovery.’
