Emi Martinez adds fuel to fire to rile PSG fans ahead of Aston Villa’s UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals in France.
Emi Martinez riles PSG by wearing World Cup triumph cap.
After Emiliano Martinez angered Paris Saint-Germain by wearing a cap that displayed his World Cup victory over France and seemed to feature a rooster, a national symbol, Emery insisted that Martinez would withstand the heat in Aston Villa’s Champions League quarterfinal at the Parc des Princes.
When his country won in 2022 thanks to his mind tricks and penalty shootout save, Martinez—who prepared with the Argentina flag dyed into his hair—was the pantomime villain. Twelve months ago, Martinez played his first game in France since his Qatari shenanigans, and he was brutally jeered and booked twice in Lille during a memorable Europa Conference League victory. Martinez, whom he initially collaborated with at Arsenal, has grown up and learnt to regulate his emotions, according to the manager.
Asked about Martinez and his choice of headgear, Emery said: “He is mature. He is responsible. He is getting better at controlling his emotions. I think [compared with] when he arrived at Aston Villa five years ago and now is a different Emiliano. I think he is more mature, he is a better player, a better goalkeeper and now my conversation with him is always the same. Now focus on football, focus on individual challenges you have and try to manage as well everything you are achieving and the levels you are breaking. Try to control the emotions it brings you.”
On Wednesday, Emery makes his first appearance at PSG since leaving the Ligue 1 winners in 2018. Among the many selection choices the Villa manager must make is whether to start Marco Asensio, who is on loan, against his parent club. Emery must also choose between starting Marcus Rashford or Ollie Watkins in attack after making eight changes to his team against Nottingham Forest in preparation for this match.
“He is a good guy, he’s humble, a very good professional,” Emery said. “I think he is really happy with his teammates, he is being demanding of himself. He is playing free, comfortable and this is the most important. There is still work to do, there is still a process to do but the most important thing is how he is feeling. We are seeing him smiling and that is the best news we can have.”