Crystal Palace Recovers Jean-Philippe Mateta After Knee Injury Recovery

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is set to return to full team training next Monday, March 10, following his recovery from a knee injury. Oliver Glasner, the English club's manager, confirmed a plan to gradually reintegrate the player into training sessions with the aim of preparing him for upcoming domestic and continental competitions.

The injury had sidelined the forward for seven previous matches with Crystal Palace, as he suffered from knee swelling for two and a half months before stopping play on January 25. Oliver Glasner stated, "He has been out for a long time, but his knee looks better now, so we decided to reintegrate him into training. Although caution is required, the goal is for him to be available for the matches against Larnaca and Leeds United." The manager clarified that the technical staff intends to partially involve Mateta in group training on Monday in preparation for the UEFA Europa Conference League match scheduled for March 12.

Medical reports revealed that knee surgery was initially considered, but this option was ruled out after consulting several specialized medical opinions that favored rehabilitative treatment. This injury had previously hampered Mateta's transfer to Italian club AC Milan during the last winter transfer window in January, as medical examinations uncovered his knee issue during the signing procedures.

The return of the French striker comes at a time when Crystal Palace is looking to improve its position in the Premier League standings, where the team currently sits in fourteenth place. Mateta's comeback is expected to bolster the team's attacking line ahead of their anticipated match against Leeds United on March 15 in the domestic league.