Unai Emery to have words with Emi Martinez after what Aston Villa star did on international duty
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez was captured lashing out after Argentina were condemned to their first defeat since November 2023.
Without Lionel Messi in attack, the current World Cup and Copa America title holders lost 2-1 to James Rodriguez’s Colombia on Tuesday 10 September, recording just one shot on target [FotMob].
As a player who is extremely used to winning with his national team, and even with Villa in recent months, Martinez did not take the result well, smacking a television camera away while on the pitch [Daily Mail].
While the shot-stopper continued to use his feet well, maintaining an 86 per cent pass accuracy, the 32-year-old made just two saves, with another two of Colombia’s five shots on target hitting the back of the net [FotMob].
Unai Emery may need to have words with the ‘keeper once he returns to Villa Park, with the Villans hoping to challenge for a top-four Premier League spot once again at the same time as competing in the Champions League.
Unai Emery to have words with Emi Martinez at Aston Villa
Passion is a huge part of football – there is no hiding from that. And Martinez lives with his heart on his sleeve.
However, Emery will expect all of his players to conduct themselves appropriately away from the club.
There is every possibility that Martinez’s lashing out gets blown way out of proportion, and the manager has an opportunity to nip it in the bud before anything spirals out onto the football pitch at Villa Park.
Villa have just one Premier League clash against Everton separating them from their first European fixture since the 1982/83 season, facing Young Boys in Switzerland.
Martinez ranks in the top 98 percentile for post-shot expected goals per shot on target, the top 99 percentile for the percentage of crosses stopped, and the top 93 percentile for defensive actions outside of the penalty area [FBref].
The goalkeeper was incredibly influential as Villa claimed a top-four spot last season, beating Tottenham to the punch, and this season will be no different, even despite a rocky start to the campaign.
In other Aston Villa news, Unai Emery could be without 100% star v Everton after a fresh injury scare.
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