Emiliano Martínez
not only demonstrated for the umpteenth time that he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but he once again angered the French fans. After the controversies he was involved in at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Draw became a giant in another series of penalties and qualified his Aston Villa to the semifinals of the UEFA Conference League.
The people of Lille reproached him for his attitude in the round. And they were outraged.
Dibu Martínez was key because he stopped the shots of Nabil Bentaleb and the captain, Benjamin Andre, so that the Birmingham club ended up winning the shootout 4-3 and advanced to the semifinals against Fenerbahce of Turkey.
Before that, Lille had won 2-1, by the same result that Aston Villa had won in the first leg in England. The Birmingham team scored in the return towards the end, with a goal from Matty Cash that allowed them to force extra time.
After the match, the president of Lille,
Olivier Letang
, especially targeted Dibu Martínez's attitude in the shootout for his provocations and gestures.
"I don't want to spend time talking about that boy, who has an attitude that is not that of a high-level athlete because in high-level sport, in victory or defeat, you have to be calm and elegant," he said. Letang.
The albiceleste goalkeeper tried to unfocus Bentaleb before stopping his shot and then headed towards the Lille ultras to ask them for silence.
With that action, the Argentine goalkeeper left several fans in suspense because he was reprimanded and many believed he would be sent off, including one of his Aston Villa teammates.
The thing is that from 39 minutes into the first half, when his team was already losing 1-0 due to Yusuf Yazici's goal, the player from Mar del Plata was playing at the Estadio Pierre-Mauroy stadium conditioned by a yellow card. Therefore, when referee Ivan Kruzliak showed him the card for the second time after he saved Lille's first penalty and celebrated it in front of the local spectators, several believed that he should be sent off.
Fortunately for him, the rules changed.
Rule 10 of the International Football Association Board, in paragraph 3, says that "warnings and reprimands imposed on players and members of the coaching staff during the match will not be taken into consideration in the penalty shootout."
"As we saw in the first penalty kick, where he runs to get the ball," commented Lille's Canadian attacker Jonathan David.
EL DIBU STOPPED THE FIRST PENALTY AND SENT THE LILLE FANS TO SHUT UP!!
📺 Watch the #UECL on #StarPlusLA pic.twitter.com/AUNyPPNKZY
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) April 18, 2024
"Normally he has to go alone to his goal. For him, that is a tactical game," said who will be his rival at the start of the Copa América in the United States, which will be played from June 20.
Martínez had been accused of
lack of sportsmanship and elegance
in victory after the 2022 World Cup, in which Argentina won the final against France at the Lusail stadium. In that match, the man from Mar del Plata was key with a block on
Randal Kolo Muani
in extra time and later saved a penalty from
Kingsley Coman
and disconcerted
Aurélien Tchouaméni.
That also earned him being chosen as the best goalkeeper in the competition and led to other individual awards such as the Lev Yashin Ballon d'Or and The Best.
LET'S DANCE WITH THE DRAWING!! EMILIANO MARTÍNEZ SAVED THE LAST PENALTY AND GIVES ASTON VILLA QUALIFICATION IN FRANCE.
📺 Watch the #UECL on #StarPlusLA pic.twitter.com/8T6DmeFUBi
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) April 18, 2024
Aston Villa's coach, the Spanish Unai Emery, went against the direction of his rivals and, obviously, applauded his player for his part.
"Emiliano Martínez is very important for us. He has personality and weight in the locker room. He is a leader every day, with a formidable attitude. When he plays he also has his personality. During the penalty shootout he was formidable. I am very proud of him. I think In him, I know that he is mature and responsible. I accept him as he is. Always in control," said the Spanish coach who led Aston Villa to a European semi-final for the first time in 42 years.
Photo: AFP