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Jean-Philippe Mateta insists there is no bad blood between him and Jean-Philippe Mateta crystal Palace teammates Wilfried Zaha after both are resolved his public disagreement in private.
The Eagles striker, who earned his first senior France call-up this month and scored in a 2-2 draw with Iceland, suggested in an interview Team Earlier this month “team-mates like Wilfried Zaha” were “laughing” at his ambitions to represent his country.
Zaha, who left Palace in 2023 and now plays for Major League Soccer Club Charlotte FC, on loan from GalatasarayThose claims were denied, indicating that some misinterpretation had occurred.
Mateta, speaking before Thursday conference league The clash with AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park said the pair have now come to terms with the situation.
“I spoke to him. Everything is good,” said the Frenchman, who scored a hat-trick in Saturday’s 3-3 Premier League draw with Bournemouth but missed a late sitter.
“We talked in private and that’s all.”
The 28-year-old is joint third in the Premier League scoring charts with five goals in eight matches so far this campaign.
Mateta’s contract is set to expire in the summer of 2027, and he says contract talks are not a priority at the moment.
“I’m focused on my season,” he said. “I’m just thinking about the game (Thursday).”
Palace boss Oliver Glassner has no fresh injury concerns ahead of their first league stage match at Selhurst Park – the start of a stretch in which the FA Cup holders will play four games in 10 days.
Despite the busy calendar, the Austrian – who was named Premier League manager of the month for September – still plans to field his top talent.
“As always, we will pick the best team,” Glassner said. “We had five days between Bournemouth and Larnaca. The international (players) got two days off to recover, and we prepared yesterday and today – short sessions, but the players are looking really sharp.
“We will play the best team. That’s what matters to us, and then prepare for Arsenal.”
Former Gunner Eddie Nketiah scored in Palace’s Conference League opening win over Dynamo Kiev in Poland and capped the Reds’ perfect start to the season by scoring a stoppage-time winner against Liverpool last month.
Glassner said: “(Last year) he put himself under a lot of pressure. It felt like sometimes he wanted the goals and the assists and the chances too much, and then when he had the chances he missed them. It was a bit of a downward spiral.”
The Palace boss believes Nketiah is now “more relaxed”, adding: “Sometimes it’s not that you score the goals, but the energy you bring to the pitch, the runs you make to create space for others, he’s helped us massively.
“I think now he doesn’t feel as much pressure as he did last year, and that definitely helps him.”
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