The 27-year-old was rushed to hospital in the eighth minute at Selhurst Park when Lions keeper Liam Roberts rushed off his line and kicked Mateta in the head.
Roberts received an increased ban of six games after the FA referred the incident to an independent commission, saying the typical three-game ban for a red card was ‘clearly insufficient’.
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Having plastic surgery to reconstruct his lacerated ear, Mateta required 25 stitches. Speaking on the incident for the first time, he told French newspaper L’Équipe that a last-minute instinct to turn his face prevented the injury from being ‘much worse’.
“I was afraid I’d have broken bones or blood in my brain, but in fact, my ear was just destroyed,” Mateta told L’Équipe.
“At the last moment, I had the reflex to turn my face. I was lucky because if I hadn’t, I would have taken his foot right in the head, and it would have been much worse.
"After that, I never lost consciousness. I was lying on the ground, and I said to the doctor: ‘I’m fine, I want to play again.’ But he, seeing my ear, replied, ‘No, you have to go’.
“A plastic surgery specialist came and took pictures of my ear, which he refused to show me, so as not to let them stay in my head.
“Obviously, it didn’t look like an ear any more. At the beginning of the operation, the surgeon had a lot of trouble, but afterwards, as he explained to me, he found a way to save my ear. He did a hell of a job."
Eagles boss Oliver Glasner revealed that Mateta is aiming to be ready for Palace’s FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham at the end of the month.
He travelled to Marbella for Palace's mid-season training camp last week but was required to train in isolation from the rest of the team.
The Frenchman hopes to return to full training next week, but a comeback to match action at Craven Cottage would require a mask to protect his ear.
"I have to be careful to prevent it from getting infected, I have to wash it every time I sweat.
“Next week, I should be able to participate in training matches, but for that, I’ll need a mask while my ear finishes healing.
“I’ve been sent several models, and I’ll have to choose between those that just cover the ear and others that cover the whole face.”