Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez was emotional after the win over Tottenham
Emi Martinez had to wipe away his tears after Aston Villa’s 2-0 win over Tottenham on Friday night.
The victory keeps Villa’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League alive, with everything to play for on the final day of the season against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
When referee Peter Banks blew the final whistle, Villa were sitting in fourth place. However, Chelsea leapfrogged them shortly afterwards with a 1-0 win over United.
Many had expected both Spurs and United to lose to Champions League hopefuls Villa and Chelsea, respectively.
But what happened after Villa’s win over Spurs came as a surprise, as both goalkeeper Martinez and winger Leon Bailey were visibly emotional at full-time.
Some members of Unai Emery’s squad would have arrived at Villa Park knowing it could be their final home game for the club.
Given their emotional reactions, it’s fair to assume that both Martinez and Bailey are aware that Friday night may have been their last appearance at Villa Park.
Martinez stood at the edge of his box for several minutes before wiping away tears, unable to hide his emotions. Bailey, meanwhile, walked onto the pitch looking visibly upset.
After the final whistle, Bailey was seen crouched down, brushing the turf for around 20 seconds.
Bailey is expected to leave Villa this summer after slipping down the pecking order following an underwhelming campaign - especially when compared to last season, when he scored 14 goals in all competitions.
Martinez, on the other hand, signed a new long-term contract with the club back in August. However, he has attracted strong interest from clubs in both Europe and Saudi Arabia ahead of the summer transfer window.
He has a lucrative offer from a club in the Saudi Pro League on the table, though it’s unclear whether he would be willing to give up European football at this stage in his career.
While such a move may seem unlikely, a transfer to a major European club appears more realistic - particularly with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, where Argentina will look to defend their title in the USA.
According to TyC Sports, Martinez already has “two firm offers from major European teams.”
The fee Villa would demand for Martinez is currently unknown. However, the club is believed to have an interest in highly rated Spanish goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
The Espanyol star has a release clause of around £25 million and has been tracked by several clubs, including Real Madrid and Arsenal.
Villa’s president of football operations, Monchi, has already scouted Garcia this season in preparation for the summer window.