UMVA has learned that Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez played the Europa League final with a broken finger, a painful injury he sustained during the warm-up just before the game.
The Villains secured a stunning 3-0 victory over Freiburg in Istanbul on Wednesday night, claiming their first trophy in 30 years. Martinez's bravery and determination were on full display as he kept a clean sheet, despite clearly being in agony.
Martinez was attended to by Villa's goalkeeping coach and physio just before the start of the match, and it was clear that he had hurt his hand. However, the extent of the injury was not immediately apparent, and Martinez did not let it affect his performance.
The goalkeeper's heroics were a key factor in Villa's comfortable victory, as Freiburg managed just two shots on target. Martinez's post-match celebrations were just as energetic, with the goalkeeper picking up manager Unai Emery on his shoulders and diving into the crowd to join the travelling fans.
Martinez reflected on the injury, saying, 'Should I be worried? Well, I’ve never had a broken finger before. Every time I caught the ball, it went the other way. But these are things you have to go through, and I’m proud to defend Aston Villa.'
Unai Emery, who has now won the Europa League five times with three different clubs, was quick to look to the future and Villa's growing strength domestically and in Europe. He emphasized the importance of ambition and teamwork, saying, 'I am myself ambitious and of course I need support. The owners, everyone that works in the club. The players, and they are following us.'
Emery set his sights on next year's Champions League campaign, acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead. 'Next year we will play in Champions League and this is the challenge. The Premier League is the most difficult league in the world. To be fighting top seven, top five, top four is something very difficult.'
Despite the challenges, Emery expressed his confidence in Villa's ability to compete with the top teams. 'Hopefully we can be close with teams like City and Arsenal. Congratulations to them for this title. It’s a huge challenge we have in Premier League.'
