Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez started both of Argentina's recent internationals after returning from injury against Burnley a fortnight ago
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez(Image: Getty Images)
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Emi Martínez has only featured in half of Aston Villa’s matches so far this season, but did play through injury before heading off for Argentina duty last week.
“Tear in the calf? No problem,” Martínez posted on social media, alongside several match photos from Villa’s 2–1 win over Burnley and an image of his left calf showing visible bruising.
That was only his fifth start of the season, after missing the same number of games — one through suspension, three through injury, and another when Unai Emery left him out of the squad to face Crystal Palace due to uncertainty surrounding his future before deadline day last month.
After missing the first Europa League match against Bologna, Martínez was due to start against Feyenoord but withdrew because of his calf problem.
Ahead of Villa’s match against Tottenham on Sunday, Emery was asked about Martínez’s condition.
“He trained this morning [Friday] and had a small problem [before the internationals], like other players,” said the Villa boss. “Maybe we are focusing on Emi Martínez because of some circumstances in the past, but it’s normal.
“Everything that happened in the last matches — if he wasn’t feeling 100 per cent because of a small pain — that’s normal; we don’t want to take risks. Like other players we have, like Watkins, sometimes they also have problems.
“He had a calf injury in the warm-up against Feyenoord, which is why he didn’t play. He recovered in time for the Burnley match and was fit to start. There’s no mystery — he got injured, he recovered in four days, and that’s why he played.”
Martínez then started both of Argentina’s matches against Venezuela and Puerto Rico but was substituted in the second half of the latter game.
That might have been due to Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni’s plan to rotate his squad and select other players for the November internationals.
“Dibu always wants to play, like everyone else,” Scaloni said before the Puerto Rico match. “That’s great for us — it’s important that he wants to be here.
"He made the effort to come despite his calf problem, and that matters to us. Then, in November, we’ll probably try something different — that’s the idea we have.”
What do you make of Martinez's season so far? Tell us here
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