Why Aston Villa keeper Martinez was not sent off despite receiving 2 yellow cards
19th April 2024
Martinez received two yellow cards but did not go off the pitch as the normal occassions.
- Aston Villa beat Lille 4-3 in the penalty shoot-out after the game ended 3-3 on aggregate.
- Emi Martinez saved two penalties to help Villa book their spots in the Europa Conference League.
- The controversial moment in the game came when Martinez saw a second yellow card which normally translates to a sending off but the Argentine custodian remained on the pitch.
Argentine goalkeeper Emi Martinez produced a brilliant performance on Thursday night to help Aston Villa beat French side Lille as they secured a spot in the semifinal of the Europa Conference League.
The controversial moment in the game came when Martinez saw a second yellow card which normally translates to a sending off but the Argentine custodian remained on the pitch and saved two crucial penalties which gave Villa the win after the game had ended in a 3-3 aggregate draw.
The former Arsenal custodian received his first
yellow card of the match in the first half for time wasting.
His second yellow card of the game came during the
post-match penalties when he saved Nabil Bentaleb’s penalty and started to play
mind games with the away supporters.
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Some of the commentators and supporters were left in
confusion after Martinez remained on the pitch despite being booked twice.
The one-time FIFA World Cup winner went on to save Benjamin
Andre’s decisive penalty to ensure the Unai Emery-coached side picked up a 4-3
shoot-out victory.
However, the referee’s decision not to send him off turned
out to be a correct one according to the International Football Association
Board (IFAB) law 10.3.
“Warnings and cautions issued to players and team officials
during the match are not carried forward into kicks from the penalty mark
penalties (penalty shoot-out),” the rule reads.
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Emery spoke highly of his goalkeeper after the match
describing him as an integral member of the club.
“He is important for us. His personality in the dressing
room is very important because he is a leader with his experiences.
He has a really brilliant mentality and then on the pitch he
has a personality and he played fantastic. He saved two penalty shots, so of
course I am very proud of him and all the players,” he stated.
Lille won the second-leg tie 2-1 but their dreams of lifting the Europa Conference League title ended thanks to Martinez, who is among the best shot-stoppers in the world at the moment.
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