Ahead of Aston Villa’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain, goalkeeper Emi Martinez has made a deliberate and provocative change to his hairstyle – a clear gesture intended for the French fans.
The Argentine international was met with a chorus of boos as he entered the Parc des Princes in Paris, a reaction rooted in animosity stemming from the 2022 World Cup final. However, Martinez appears to thrive on this role as the opposition’s villain, even amidst the intense atmosphere of the stadium.
In a move characteristic of his playful and often controversial persona, Martinez has dyed his hair in the colors of the Argentinian flag – mirroring a style he adopted during the World Cup final itself. His theatrics didn’t stop there; during warm-ups, he revealed a tattoo commemorating his World Cup victory by pulling down his sock, stretching his leg before the hostile crowd.
The goalkeeper’s arrival in Paris was already an event, with Martinez sporting his Argentina cap from that fateful final in Doha. The match itself proved pivotal; Martinez made crucial saves throughout the game, notably denying Randal Kolo Muani in the dying seconds of extra time when the score remained tied at 3-3.
The ensuing penalty shootout saw Martinez draw further ire from French supporters through his attempts at gamesmanship. He famously delayed Kingsley Coman’s spot-kick before saving it and, in another instance, picked up the ball before Aurelien Tchouameni could take his shot, causing the Real Madrid star to miss.
Argentina ultimately prevailed in the shootout after Gonzalo Montiel successfully converted a penalty, securing their third World Cup title – their first since 1986. Martinez’s celebrations continued during Argentina’s subsequent parade, where he was seen dancing with a baby doll bearing Kylian Mbappé’s likeness.
“I genuinely think he loves it.”
The atmosphere in Paris was charged, and Martinez anticipated a challenging evening. He faced early tests from Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, requiring several saves to keep the score level.
- Despite PSG’s dominance, Aston Villa took an unexpected lead when John McGinn intercepted Nuno Mendes near midfield.
- McGinn advanced up the pitch before finding Youri Tielemans, who delivered a pass across goal that Morgan Rogers tapped home for the opening score.
- However, Villa’s lead was short-lived as Desire Doue exploited a lapse in marking by Rogers and unleashed a curling shot into the corner, leaving Martinez with no chance to save.
As one fan noted on social media:
Emi Martinez is booed as he enters the Parc des Princes pitch 👀
