“I like to play with the fans in mind, because the fans come for us,” he says of his iconic corner flag demolition celebration. “I want to play with them. I like to clap my hands and to see them clap their hands to win the game.
“You can’t quite speak to them [mid-game], but I like to feel something with them. A relationship with the fans. They don’t come to see us just to be serious, and for us to be serious and do the job solemnly. They pay! They put some money down to come, and they are much happier when we do it for them.
“I like to build a relationship with the fans, and that is why I ask them to say ‘boom’ when I score. I’ve been doing this since I was young!
“I will always keep it – particularly in Selhurst, because it has started to be very loud now. They make a big noise. When I hear the ‘boom’, it’s always good for me.”
Mateta talks inspiration from Palace teammates, a new tactical approach under Oliver Glasner and a desire to explore the world in the Luton programme, which you can get online now or around Selhurst Park before kick-off.
Plus, hear from Oliver Glasner, Steve Parish, Doc Brown, and many more - as well as the latest set of collectible Selhurst Starz playing cards free with every copy!