Aston Villa goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez traveled to Argentina to visit his sick father, Alberto Martinez at a hospital ahead of his club’s league game against West Ham United.
Emiliano Martinez’s father underwent surgery recently and the Aston Villa goalkeeper had to leave the club’s training camp to visit him.
The Argentine goalkeeper took to his Instagram story to share a picture showing him and his brother, Alejandro, posing on the side of their father’s sickbed.
In the picture, the goalkeeper, his father, and his brother were in good spirits which means Alberto is not in a critical condition.
During his time in Argentina, Emiliano Martinez had to train at the training facility of Argentina’s national team, Ezeiza. He had to train at the facility to keep fit for the Aston Villa vs West Ham United Premier League game.
On his verge of returning to England to join up with his Premier League side, Martinez shared a picture of the training facility with an appreciation message to the Argentine Football Association (AFA), and the president of the association, Chiqui Tapia.
The 29-year-old Argentine goalkeeper wrote: “Thank you very much to the AFA and Chiqui Tapia for helping me in everything in these difficult days.”
When Emiliano Martinez embarked on the journey, most Aston Villa’s fans feared that the goalkeeper would not be available for the club’s Premier League game against in-form West Ham United.
West Ham are expected to visit Villa Park later today, October 31, to take on Aston Villa. The Premier League match is expected to kick off at 17:30.
Before now, West Ham United have recorded 5 wins, 2 draws, and 2 defeats. These stats have earned them 4th place on the league table with 17 points in 9 games, 8 points away from first-placed Chelsea.
West Ham United need a win to make their hold on the 4th spot stronger ahead of subsequent Premier League games.
On the other hand, Aston Villa have recorded 3 wins, a draw, and 5 defeats so far this season. The poor stats have pushed them down to the 15th spot with 10 points in 9 games.
Hence, Villa need all their best players available for this game, especially their first choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Ahead of the game, the club’s manager, Dean Smith had confirmed that the goalkeeper would train with the team on Saturday, October 30. This means that he will be available for the Premier League game later today.
“Emi Martinez will be back training with us today [Saturday], so I have no worries about his availability,” the coach said.
Also, the goalkeeper has announced via his Instagram page that he is back and ready for the Premier League game between Aston Villa and West Ham United.
So far this season, Emiliano Martinez who helped Argentina to win the 2021 Copa America has conceded 12 goals and kept three clean sheets in 8 Premier League games.
The goalkeeper who joined Aston Villa from Arsenal on September 16, 2020, for €17.40 million still has less than three seasons left on his contract with Villa.
