Emiliano Martínez wears his passion on his sleeve, known for strange antics when defending against penalty kicks, or strange reaction saves, El Dibu has become a household name across the world for his bravery and at times dimwittedness on the field.
Last Sunday in a 2-1 win against Brentford, Martínez received a yellow card after violently lifting Frenchman Neal Maupay off the ground, then holding the player’s head and arguing with three opponents. That play was slammed by the British media, with some pundits going as far as saying Martinez was an “idiot”.
Still the behavior is a long list of strange antics ranging from constant back talking to opponents or provoking them with dances. Now Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has spoken out over his goalkeepers at times strange behavior.
Unai Emery on Dibu Martinez
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Unai Emery stated to the media, “(Dibu) is working to react with respect and as we would like. He needs to continue playing as he is doing, with the great performances he is giving us. He is a winner, and it is very important for us”.
Emery has tried to focus the talk of his goalkeeper’s actions to what he does on the field, looking at the positive side, still a lot of pundits have been harsh to point out that Martinez gets away with a lot of opponent provoking.
Emiliano Martinez and Boubacar Kamara of Aston Villa clash with Neal Maupay of Brentford during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Aston Villa at Gtech Community Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Brentford, England.
“Of course, we talk about how we can all handle certain moments when we play under pressure. But Emiliano is totally committed to what we are building here. He is one of our captains and he follows the messages I send,” Emery ended.
It was the Daily Mail that wrote, “Emi is a great goalkeeper, but a total idiot”.
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