Emiliano Martinez will be unavailable for the first leg of Aston Villa’s UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final affair with Olympiakos following the bookings he received in the quarter-finals.
Martinez was booked in both legs of the Villains’ quarter-final tie with French side Lille, including one which he received during the penalty shootout.
Emiliano Martinez, who is known for his goalkeeping antics received a second booking during the penalty shootout involving Aston Villa and Lille on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
However, he wasn’t dismissed from action, much to the amazement of football enthusiasts across the globe.
Anyway, Martinez hasn’t totally been left off the hook, as UEFA have handed him a ban for frequent cautions.
His suspension is fully legitimate and the basis for it is outlined in Article 52.02(b) of UEFA’s rule book, which an excerpt of it reads:
“In case of repeated cautions.
“B. from the first match in the group stage, players and team officials are suspended for the next competition match after three cautions, which did not result in a red card, as well as following any subsequent odd-numbered caution (fifth, seventh, ninth, etc.).”
Why was Emiliano Martinez not sent off despite being booked in normal time and during the penalty shootout?
Emiliano Martinez wasn’t dismissed during the game as yellow cards picked up during normal or extra time aren’t considered during the shootouts.
Basically, if a player receives a yellow card in regular time and during the kicks from the penalty mark, he wouldn’t be sent off based on the current ruling.
IFAB Law 10 states: “Warnings and cautions (YCs) issued during the match (including during extra time) are not carried forward into kicks from the penalty mark (KFPM).
“A player who receives a YC during both the match and the KFPM is not sent off.”
Martinez was Aston Villa’s hero on the night as he reprised his nearly regular feat during shootouts by saving two penalties which was enough to send Unai Emery’s side into the semis.
Why was Martinez booked during the shootout?
Emiliano Martinez received his third booking of the tie for taunting fans of Lille after saving a spot kick from ex-Tottenham Hotspur man Nabil Bentaleb.
He ultimately guided Aston Villa through to the last 4, with a fantastic save denying Lille’s Benjamin Andre.
Meanwhile, after the encounter, Martinez was questioned over the yellow cards he had received and the 31-year-old expressed he was baffled by the decisions.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner shared that the decisions were made due to him having a “bad reputation”.
He said: “I’ve just got a bad reputation for time wasting because the other goalie was doing the same thing.
“But I get booked after 30 minutes when we’re losing the game. I don’t know what the ref wants from me.
“Then there was no ball on the penalty spot [in the shootout] so I asked the ball-boy for a ball, and then I get booked!
“I just don’t understand the rules.”
Meanwhile, Emiliano Martinez’s suspension will be against Greek side Olympiakos, who Aston Villa will host at Villa Park on May 2, 2024, in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final tie.
Martinelli joined the Birmingham-based club from Arsenal on September 16, 2020, for a fee of €17.40 million.
The Argentine has made 155 appearances for the side, conceding 189 goals and keeping 53 clean sheets thus far.
