Emi Martinez might be the world’s best goalkeeper but the Aston Villa star is also the greatest wind-up merchant on the planet.
Martinez’s brilliant saves in the penalty shoot-out knocked out Lille and sent Villa to their first European semi-final since 1982. But Goodness me, do we really need the ridiculous antics that go with it?
Martinez was booked during the shoot-out – his second of the game after being penalised for running down the clock in the first half. He was not sent off only because yellow cards issued in general play do not carry through when the game reaches penalties. It seems unlikely Martinez knew this rule, given his panicked gestures when referee Ivan Kruzliak approached.
‘It’s all about reputation because the other goalie was doing exactly the same thing (time wasting in normal play),’ said Martinez. ‘I got a yellow after 30 minutes and we were losing the game so I don’t know what the ref wants from me.
‘Then there was no ball on the penalty spot during the shoot out. I was asking for a ball from the ball boy and I get booked. I just don’t understand the rules.’
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the hero as Aston Villa beat Lille in a penalty shootout
Martinez saved Benjamin Andre’s spot kick as Villa won 4-3 on penalties on Thursday night
Martinez – who had been booked earlier for time-wasting – was shown another yellow card for appearing to gesture to home fans but remained on the field
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These days Martinez has a self-confidence bordering on arrogance and he can certainly back it up. But once he has retired he may regret some of the ludicrous behaviour that risks detracting from his enormous talent.
Martinez is hugely unpopular with French fans for mocking Kylian Mbappe after his saves helped Argentina beat France on penalties in the 2022 World Cup Final and a calmer player would surely have toned it down a little. Martinez, however, simply does not do low key.
He had already tested Kruzliak’s patience by grabbing the ball as Nabil Bentaleb prepared to take Lille’s first kick. When Martinez saved it, he turned to the Lille fans and held his finger to his lips. Those who threw missiles towards him deserve much greater condemnation but Martinez could have avoided the situation with a calmer response. At least he was a little more muted when stopping the decisive kick from Benjamin Andre, and Villa boss Unai Emery defended his goalkeeper staunchly.
‘I accept him as he is and he is always in control of himself,’ said Emery. ‘Emiliano is important for us. He wants to win something important, his mentality is brilliant and in the shoot-out he was fantastic. I am very proud of him and all the players.’
Perhaps Martinez was playing for penalties all along. His bizarre timewasting in the first half, when the aggregate score was level, earned him the first booking. After goals in either half from Yusuf Yazici and Andre, Lille looked to be heading through – only for Matty Cash’s deflected strike two minutes from full-time to send the match into an extra 30 minutes.
Yet Emery will know his team got away with it here. They were as ordinary here as they had been impressive in winning 2-0 at Arsenal last Sunday and a big improvement is needed in the semi-finals.
‘Even when we were watching Manchester City play Real Madrid last night the manager was saying we might go to penalties and in those moments I own my box,’ said Martinez. ‘It has been a hell of a ride all of my career. I am a believer and a hard worker and it was my destiny today.’
The duel between Martinez and the Virage Est, the area behind the goal housing Lille’s most vocal supporters, was as interesting as the game itself.
Martinez was berated as soon as he arrived for the warm up and from that moment he seemed intent on winding up the fans even more.
Lile midfielder Yusuf Yazici levelled the tie with a superb finish in the 15th minute
Benjamin Andre scored Lille’s second goal with a header from a corner in the 67th minute
Aston Villa defender Matty Cash scored in the 87th minute to force extra-time
Villa boss Unai Emery and Lille’s Paulo Fonseca were booked after an angry exchange
They were screaming with joy in the 15th minute when Lille levelled the tie on aggregate. Gabriel Gudmundsson’s excellent first-time cross caught Villa on their heels and Yazici produced a low, controlled finish.
Martinez then kept his side level when Andre point-blank header from Yazici’s free-kick hit him in the face and went wide. To the fury of the Lille end, Martinez then lay on his back inside the goal, his hand on the top of his head.
Villa’s controversial goalkeeper again had the last laugh as he was the hero in the shootout
Just after the half-hour mark, Martinez got on the Lille fans’ nerves again as he sunk to his knees, pouring water over his face, before taking a goal-kick. Eventually, Kruzliak had seen enough and booked him six minutes before half-time.
Lille were playing with even greater intensity in the second half and it was no surprise when Andre headed home Hakon Haraldsson’s corner midway through it.
Villa were heading out until the ball broke to Cash in the 88th minute and his fierce strike hit the net via a deflection. Lille called for a foul on Lucas Chevalier but the goalkeeper had actually collided with team-mate Bentaleb before dropping the ball.
Both sides missed chances in extra-time to ensure penalties. Martinez saved from Bentaleb and Chevalier stopped Leon Bailey’s kick to square it up but when Martinez denied Andre, Villa were in the semis.