Emiliano Martinez kicked off the evening by walking onto the field with his children, proudly displaying the trophies he earned as the world’s best goalkeeper over the past two years. He capped off the night by making a breathtaking save that justified those accolades.
The Argentina international played a crucial role in Aston Villa’s 0-0 draw against Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday. Martinez made a remarkable save, snatching the ball from behind him and clearing it off the goal line, denying Francisco Conceição what could have been a game-winning goal.
Replays revealed that the ball was nearly fully over the line when Martinez made his intervention, prompting immediate praise from his teammates.
While no save can eclipse his iconic stop during the 2022 World Cup final, where he denied France’s Randal Kolo Muani in the dying moments of extra time, Martinez’s latest effort came close to matching that brilliance.
It was particularly fitting that his spectacular save came on a night when he showcased the two Yashin Trophies he received at the Ballon d’Or awards for the past two years, the latest of which was awarded last month.
On the other side, Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio breathed a sigh of relief after a late scare. In the closing moments of stoppage time, Di Gregorio mishandled a cross under pressure from Villa defender Diego Carlos, allowing Morgan Rogers to tap the ball into the net. Initially awarded as a goal by the on-field referee, it was later disallowed after a two-minute review confirmed a foul on Di Gregorio by Carlos.
“I think it was soft,” commented Villa striker Ollie Watkins. “Maybe in the Premier League it’s a goal, but in Europe, the goalkeepers are protected a lot.”
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