Emiliano Martinez is a very unique character. There’s never a dull moment with Argentine around. The Aston Villa custodian has a reputation for riling up opposition with his antics.
Martinez has pulled yet another antic this time ahead of Villa’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
The experienced goalkeeper arrived in Paris wearing a controversial cap which had France’s cockerel alongside Argentine’s badge and the four trophies he has won with La Albiceleste.
Emiliano Martinez was pictured wearing a cap featuring the French cockerel alongside his national team trophies as Aston Villa arrived in France ? pic.twitter.com/Zyhshfhss5
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 9, 2025
The fiery 32-year-old has history with France supporters. It all started in 2022 World Cup final when Argentina clinched the title from Les Blues grasp in penalties courtesy of Martinez’s heroics.
The Villa No. 1 ratcheted up the histrionics with some especially provocative behaviour during the penalty shootout which riled up the French supporters. He intentionally got under the skin of the French players, handing Argentina a big advantage in the crunch moment.
Interestingly, whenever he has visited France since then, he has been jeered and booed by the fans. However, the 32-year-old has always had the last laugh over them.
He visited France during Villa’s 2023/24 Europa Conference League quarterfinal clash against Lille. There he was continuously jeered throughout the game, more so when he was involved in play.
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But eventually, Martinez was the star of the night for Villa as they won the title with a 4-3 win on penalties. Interestingly, he was booked twice in that game, first, in the 32nd minute for time wasting and later during the penalty shootout. Despite all of that, the 32-year-old held his nerve and made crucial saves to help Unai Emery’s men reach the semifinals.
Emiliano Martinez has been phenomenal for club and country
The Argentine burst onto the scene with Arsenal under Emery, and since then, he has won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, followed by the Finalissima triumph over Italy and then backed those up with a 2024 Copa America title.
He also played a big role in transforming Aston Villa into a European superpower. In recent years, they have made deep runs in European competitions, and Martinez deserves a lot of credit.
Considered one of the best shot-stoppers in the world, the Argentina has managed four cleansheets, registered as many as 79 saves in 30 Premier League appearances this season.
However, in the Champions League, he has been superb, managing five cleansheets in 10 outings whilst maintaining a whopping 86% save accuracy.
When the Villans step on the Parc des Princes for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal, Emery will expect the 2024 Argentina Footballer of the Year to step up whilst maintaining his record against French oppositions.
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