Martinez: I Only Care About Winning, No Intention to Provoke; Villa Can Shock Europe

Aston Villa’s Argentine goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez (nicknamed Big Martin), gave an interview to The Guardian. He pointed out that although he is often misunderstood as someone who likes to provoke, it is merely because he wants to win.

Before the start of the season, Big Martin changed his number at the club from 1 to 23, which is the day his son (6 years old) Santy was born. It is also because he won four trophies wearing this number with Argentina, including the Copa America this summer. Big Martin also keeps toys given to him by his wife before the World Cup (Santy’s penguin, daughter Ava’s giraffe) as mascots, stating: “I take them wherever I go, they give me a boost before every game.”

Big Martin is a gentle and family-oriented man, which does not quite match his image on the field. On the pitch, he is highly aggressive – or so many people perceive him. In the World Cup, he saved France’s last-minute chance, stopped Coman in the penalty shootout, and used psychological warfare to make Tchouameni miss. However, Big Martin points out that this is not because he naturally likes to provoke: “It can happen, adrenaline starts pumping at that moment, sometimes you can’t control it, even if you don’t seek it, it comes anyway. Sometimes people might think I’m someone who likes to provoke, but no, I am just an ordinary person, a family man, but when it comes to winning and losing, I will do everything I can to win.”

“Am I misunderstood?” Big Martin says: “Those who think I like to provoke probably don’t know me. If you ask all my teammates, both at the club and the national team, they know I will do everything I can to help everyone. All I want is for the club and the national team to achieve the best results.”

Throughout his career, Big Martin has been involved in controversies, regarding which he says: “Everyone has their own opinions, I never try to anger fans, never. If you stay calm, without insulting anyone or any belief, I think you can do whatever you want. I don’t swear, I don’t insult people, I just want to help my team, that’s all. I would never overstep the line, never.”

Aston Villa are about to face Arsenal in the Premier League. Last season, Big Martin made a close-range save against Trossard in the game against Arsenal, a scene still fresh in his mind. Last season, Villa defeated Arsenal twice, damaging the Gunners’ title hopes. Regarding this, Big Martin said: “Against Arsenal, it was just another game.”

Looking ahead to the new season, Big Martin said: “We are unlikely to challenge for the (Premier League) title, but we can shock Europe in continental competitions, especially with our manager who led Villarreal to the Champions League semi-finals and has won the Europa League four times. For Villa, this is our first time participating in the Champions League in many years, but when you have a coach and players like ours, you can progress all the way.”

Looking forward to the new season, Big Martin once again expressed his extreme desire for trophies: “On the training ground, I loudly say ‘We need to win a trophy, or at least play in a final.’ This club and these fans deserve it. Obviously, I love it here, but I wouldn’t stay at a club where I see no progress, because I want to win honors, and strive for victory, and if possible, I want to continue working hard to become the world’s best goalkeeper!”