- Mateta should leave Crystal Palace this summer
- Will be aiming to impress suitors across the remainder of the season
- Fans hoping he can bow out with a trophy
Jean-Phillipe Mateta opened the scoring in Crystal Palace’s 3–0 Europa Conference League quarter-final first leg against Fiorentina last week, but his career at the club should still come to a close this summer.
Palace were awarded a penalty in the first half when Brazilian left-back Dodo hacked down Evann Guessand. Dodo’s booking means he is suspended for the second leg, a punishment Palace’s players managed to avoid in a dominant win.
Mateta stood up and buried the penalty to open the scoring, but aside from that had a quiet game, which highlighted just how important Jørgen Strand Larsen’s acquisition has been. The Frenchman again missed big chances, the first of which was converted on the rebound by Tyrick Mitchell to double Palace’s lead.
In the second half, another opportunity went begging for Mateta, when he mistimed his jump and failed to convert a glorious chance at the back post. His performance reflected his lack of minutes in recent weeks. Sluggish and rusty, with numerous loose touches and lost possession.
Scandinavian Setting the Standard
Strand Larsen has caught the eye since his arrival in January, showcasing excellent hold-up play and the ability to keep the ball on his feet, often trapping long passes with his chest before bringing teammates into the game. His absence was certainly felt at times, when Mateta was unable to maintain possession against a central defensive partnership that showed little quality across the 90 minutes.
This dominant back-to-goal ability, paired with his relentless pressing, has solidified Strand Larsen as Palace’s starting striker, which opens the door for Mateta’s departure in the Summer.
A January move to AC Milan fell through after a failed medical, but if Mateta can maintain fitness across the remainder of the campaign, that interest will undoubtedly return. The slower nature of the Italian top flight may suit him better, allowing him to utilise his physique to dominate in that league.
No Love Lost for Mateta
Despite Thursday not being his best performance, the Palace’s underlying affection for the striker is unlikely to dwindle.
Whilst his antics across the Winter window left somewhat of a sour taste, his contributions to Palace’s FA Cup-winning campaign and his fantastic scoring record across the two seasons prior to the current campaign will maintain his position as a cult hero at the club.
A Summer departure is accepted as the right step for this relationship, and Palace fans will only wish Mateta the very best. His fitness is key, with Eddie Nketiah now ruled out for the remainder of the season with yet another hamstring issue, which was triggered just as he was returning to fitness.
Strand Larsen will start the majority of games going forward, but both the fans and Oliver Glasner will be hoping that Mateta can get back to his best and end the season on a high with a trophy lift in Leipzig.
