Emiliano Martinez has done it again. Just like he did in the 2022 World Cup final, the Argentine goalkeeper upset a French team in a penalty shootout: this time, he saved two shots to help Aston Villa beat Lille in the 2023-24 UEFA Conference League quarterfinals.
But while the keeper’s antics and saves took much of the limelight, many noticed he saw the yellow card twice – one in the first half, the second one during the shootout. So why did Dibu stay on the game?
Well, it turns out the referees were right in not showing Martinez his marching orders. As journalist Fabrizio Romano notes, a “player who receives yellow card during the match and penalties is not sent off”.
Therefore, the star goalkeeper got to do some of his mind games regardless of the warning he got during regulation. Was the 31-year-old aware of this? Did he dare to get a second yellow card knowing he wouldn’t be sent off?
Martinez has already shown us he pays attention to every single detail that can help him win games. The Argentine once again delivered a masterclass on how to own a penalty shootout, this time in an Aston Villa uniform.
Dibu Martinez steals the show on penalties
Martinez’s tricks at Qatar 2022, in which he thrashed talked the penalty takers and played mind games with them to gain the upper hand, led FIFA to limit the actions goalkeepers can make in a shootout.
Even so, the Aston Villa star found a way to get into the Lille players’ heads when it mattered the most. After a 3-3 draw on aggregate, Martinez saved the French side’s first and final shots to seal the Villans’ 3-4 win from the spot.
Martinez first denied Nabil Bentaleb, guessing the midfielder’s intention by diving to his left post. Jonathan David, Angel Gomes and Remy Cabella scored for the Ligue 1 side, but it wasn’t enough.
Despite Leon Bailey’s miss, Aston Villa were leading 4-3 before Benjamin Andre went to take the fifth penalty for Lille. Just like with the first penalty, Martinez dove to his left and sealed the win for the Premier League outfit.
Martinez upsets France again
It was certainly one of those nights for the former Arsenal man, who made himself gigantic in front of a hostile environment in France as the home crowd was still mad at him for his antics in the Qatar 2022 final.
Booed and whistled every time he touched the ball, Martinez seemed to feed on the adverse atmosphere to silence his haters with another fantastic performance.
Shortly after saving his first penalty, he looked at the home supporters defiantly, making them a gesture to stay silent. And as soon as he secured his side’s win, he danced at the Lille fans, reminding Argentina of his signature dance at the unforgettable 2022 World Cup.
