Emiliano Martinez claims he doesn’t ‘understand the rules’ when he was asked about his two yellow cards for Aston Villa.
During the first half of their Europa Conference League quarter-final second leg win over Lille, the goalkeeper was booked for time-wasting.
Referee Ivan Kruzliak then showed him a second yellow card in the penalty shootout but Martinez avoided being sent off due to a little-known rule.
The controversy marred his heroics in the shootout as he saved two penalties to help send Villa to the semi-finals of the competition.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Martinez defended himself against the bookings in what proved to be a dramatic European tie.
“I just got a bad reputation for time-wasting because the other goalie [Lucas Chevalier] was doing exactly the same thing,” he said about the first yellow card.
“I get booked after 30 minutes and we’re losing the game, so I don’t know what the ref wants from me.”
Moving onto the second yellow, he added: “And then again, there was no ball on the penalty spot and I’m asking for a ball to a ball boy and then I get booked. I just don’t understand the rules.”
After making his first penalty save in the shootout, Martinez turned to the Lille fans behind him and gloated with a shush gesture.
The Argentine then did a quick dance to the home supporters once he made the deciding save to send Villa through to the final four.
Martinez was once again back with his cheeky antics and was on hand to revel in his glee on social media with a cheeky post on X.
Two pictures were posted by 31-year-old, one of him saving a penalty and another of him shushing the Lille fans in celebration.
Both were accompanied with an emoji of a face being covered by its hands, with Martinez quick to remind rival fans of his achievement.
Villa beat Lille 2-1 in the first leg but were defeated 2-1 in France, with Matty Cash’s late goal ensuring the tie went to extra time.
Unai Emery’s side then won 4-3 on penalties to seal their first major European semi-final since 1982 when they won the European Cup.
They will face Olympiakos in the final four, with Villa the only English side left in European competitions this season.
News Summary:
- Emiliano Martinez protests his innocence on yellow cards and posts cheeky message after Aston Villa penalty shootout antics
- Check all news and articles from the latest Football updates.