The 30-year-old was sent off eight minutes into his side’s 3-1 FA Cup fifth-round defeat at Selhurst Park after kicking Mateta in the head as he tried to clear the ball.

Palace’s French striker was given oxygen before being taken to an ambulance and needed 25 stitches for a severe laceration to his left ear.

The clash initially went unpunished by referee Michael Oliver – it was only after a video assistant referee (VAR) intervention that Roberts was sent off.

Roberts’ red card meant he automatically received a three-game ban, but the Football Association (FA) said the punishment was “clearly insufficient” and submitted a claim to a regulatory commission to increase it.

The ban means Roberts will not be able to play again until Saturday, 8 April when Millwall travel to Sheffield United in the Championship.

‘I am devastated by what happened’

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Liam Roberts says he suffered “an unthinkable amount of abusive messages and threats” after the incident

Roberts faced criticism after the incident with Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parrish telling BBC Sport it was the “most reckless challenge I’ve ever seen”, while Eagles boss Oliver Glasner described it as a “terrible foul”.

Millwall head coach Alex Neill defended his player after the game, saying his challenge was not deliberate.

The goalkeeper suffered what Millwall described as ‘”disgusting” online abuse after the incident, and in a statement, Roberts said he was “devastated by what happened”.

“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.

“Misleading articles and comments have resulted in an unthinkable amount of abusive messages and threats towards my family and I.

“To the footballing community who know me and reached out with support through this tough time, thank you, I appreciate every single message.”

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Jean-Philippe Mateta needed extensive medical treatment after the challenge

The written reasons for the Independent Regulatory Commission’s decision will be released in due course.

The FA said: “The standard punishment for this offence was clearly insufficient, and Liam Roberts subsequently denied this.

“Following a hearing, the Regulatory Commission upheld the FA’s claim, set aside the standard three-match punishment, and instead imposed a six-match ban.”

Roberts has been Millwall’s reserve goalkeeper for much of the season – he has played in just two Championship matches after first choice Lukas Jensen suffered an injury in January.

He featured in both Millwall’s Carabao Cup games in August and in his side’s FA Cup fourth and fifth-round ties.

Mateta recovery ‘going as we expected’ – Glasner

It is hoped Mateta will be fit enough to return after the international break when Palace travel to Fulham, with Glasner saying the striker will go on a training trip to Spain next week.

The 27-year-old is Palace’s top scorer with 12 Premier League goals in 27 appearances this season.

“He had no fractures or concussion. Healing from the huge wound is going as we expected,” he said ahead of his side’s Premier League game with Ipswich Town on Saturday.

“He will go to Marbella with us next week and be just training individually. If everything goes how we wish, he will be available versus Fulham.

“We lost JP in this game – we can’t play him tomorrow – but it’s not too bad.”

An emotional Steve Parish, Crystal Palace’s chairman, told BBC Sport that Roberts had “endangered a fellow professional and maybe his life”.

Roberts was sent off in the eighth minute after a video assistant referee (VAR) review during Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie. The footage showed he kicked the side of Mateta’s head, having dashed from his line to clear the ball.

The French forward, 27, was treated on the pitch and given oxygen before being taken to an ambulance, with substitute Eddie Nketiah coming on and scoring in the 3-1 win for the Premier League side.

Palace manager Oliver Glasner said the foul “could have been the end of JP’s career” while Millwall boss Alex Neil insisted Roberts had not intended to hurt Mateta.

Posting on social media on Saturday, Mateta said: “I’m doing well. I hope to be back very soon and stronger than ever. Well done guys for the great job today.”

Later on Saturday night Palace said Mateta had been discharged from hospital.

“He received specialist treatment and 25 stitches to a severe laceration to his left ear,” the club said. “All scans were clear and JP is feeling well.”

Thirteen minutes were added on at the end of the first half at Selhurst Park following the incident, with Palace 2-0 up after an own goal by Japhet Tanganga and a Daniel Munoz strike.

Parish told BBC One at half-time: “So far, what we know is he [Mateta] has a bad gash behind his ear.

“In all the time I’ve watched football, I’ve not seen a challenge like it. That is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen, and I think he [Roberts] needs to have a long, hard look at himself because he’s endangering a fellow professional and maybe his life.

“It is difficult for me to talk about the rest of the game. It’s a terrible challenge.”

Mateta has been in superb form for the Eagles this season, scoring 15 goals in 33 appearances overall – including eight in his past eight Premier League games.

The Football Association has condemned some “let him die” chants made towards Mateta by some Millwall fans while he was receiving treatment on the pitch, but said they do not breach its regulations.

However, the FA will investigate homophobic chants aimed towards Ben Chilwell, on loan at Palace from Chelsea, from Millwall supporters.

‘It could have been the end of JP’s career’ – Glasner

Palace boss Glasner said the incident was so bad he initially did not want to watch it again.

“He’s at the hospital and I heard he’s conscious, and he has a serious ear injury,” Glasner said.

“I didn’t want to see it after the game, because you never want to watch an injury, but because I was told you have to talk about it, I watched it, and it was very, very serious foul play.

“Just imagine if he hits his face straight, with all this power and the studs, it could have been the end of JP’s career.

“I’m pretty sure he did not want to injure JP in this situation, but I also think you have to decide when you make such an impact, that you just can’t do it in this way – the risk of a very serious injury is just too high.

“I don’t feel happiness, still sadness and doubt, because of how serious JP’s injury is. My fingers are crossed, and hopefully he can play in the quarter-finals, in four weeks, we all hope it’s not that serious.”

Millwall manager Neil added: “He’s tried to get the ball, he’s mistimed it and caught the lad. It’s no more than that from my perspective.

“He has certainly not intended to hurt the player or anything like it. We wish Mateta the best and hope he gets back on the pitch.”

The Blues ended 2024 in disappointing fashion – losing successive matches and failing to win in three – and that problematic form has been carried over into 2025.

Cole Palmer got Chelsea off to the perfect start after 14 minutes, scoring his 13th goal in the league after some fine work from Jadon Sancho.

Chelsea pressed for further goals but Nicolas Jackson spurned three chances while Sancho, Moises Caicedo and Josh Acheampong shot wide.

Palace did not muster an effort on target until the 35th minute with Jefferson Lerma’s shot comfortably collected by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

Despite dominating throughout the first half, Chelsea were almost made to pay for their inability to grab a second when Eberechi Eze shot narrowly wide shortly after the restart.

That was a sign that the game would become more evenly fought with Palace starting to ask questions of a stuttering Chelsea.

The Blues still had further chances to shut out their opponents, however Jackson, Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez all fired wide.

Palace got the equaliser with just under 10 minutes to play when Mateta met Eze’s square ball to tap in from a couple of yards.

The Eagles are now unbeaten in three league games and sit 15th, while Chelsea stay fourth.

The result means Thierry Henry’s side are guaranteed a first medal in the tournament in 40 years when they play Spain at the Parc des Princes on Friday (17:00 BST).

Mateta, 27, swept in a late equaliser from Michael Olise’s pass to level the scores after Mahmoud Saber had powered in an opener for Egypt from close range in Lyon.

Crystal Palace forward Mateta headed the hosts in front nine minutes into extra time, after Omar Fayed had been dismissed for a second yellow card.

Faye’s first booking came in second-half stoppage time as he protested against a French appeal for a penalty that was not awarded after a VAR review.

Olise rounded off the scoring for France, with Egypt now set to face Morocco in Nantes on Thursday (16:00) in the bronze-medal match.