View: Emi Martinez revelation proves why he’s Aston Villa’s captain-in-waiting
On the eve of the World Cup, Emi Martinez put all his dreams on the line.
Following the crucial 2-1 victory against Brighton on the south coast, news quickly surfaced that the Aston Villa shot-stopper played through a groin injury which could have, in turn, ended his chances of playing in Qatar later this month.
The Argentinian wasn’t at his best during the match – looking uncomfortable on the ball throughout and partly at fault for the opening goal – but the Villa faithful couldn’t care less.
For Emery, Martinez’s grit and determination were far more critical than his slightly scratchy performance, with the win catapulting Villa onto the cusp of the top half of the Premier League table.
The goalkeeper seemingly bleeds for the Claret and Blue cause and is the ready-made captain Villa have been searching for over the past 12 months.
When speaking after the Brighton victory, Martinez revealed that he ignored his nation’s wishes for him to skip the game and travel to Argentina early.
He said: “People were saying to me, ‘Don’t play’ because I have a World Cup. People were asking me not to play. It’s normal. I have a really tight groin.
“I’ve got the World Cup next weekend and, in my mind, I’m thinking, what is the best thing for my career? But I’m all in for this club.
“I love this club man. I’m all in. I showed I am all in, not just for the coach but for my teammates.”
With the captaincy conundrum having plagued Aston Villa over the last 12 months, Villa could do with a captain who is guaranteed his position in the starting line-up and can lead a team that, at times, has lacked experience.
John McGinn currently possesses the captaincy armband – after Tyrone Mings was stripped of it dramatically in the summer – but the Scot finds himself in a dire run of form and potentially may not be in Emery’s long-term plans.
Martinez has proven himself an international calibre goalkeeper with Argentina after starring in their 2021 Copa America victory and collecting the Golden Glove accolade for himself.
The 30-year-old was the hero of the semi-final penalty shootout against Colombia, saving three spot-kicks before keeping a clean sheet in the final against Brazil.
Although looked upon in a peculiar manner, goalkeepers can make great captains. Oliver Kahn, Peter Schmeichel, Iker Casillas, David de Gea and even Villa’s Brad Friedel are just a few names who have all excelled under the captaincy spotlight, and Emi Martinez could soon be another name to add to that list.
Playing at the World Cup may hinder his chances of taking the armband – with the rest of Villa’s squad spending six weeks with Emery in the meantime – but in the eyes of the Villa fanbase, Martinez is the right and only man for the job.
In other news, Aston Villa master the dark arts in 2-1 victory over Brighton.