Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez fought back tears while reflecting on his career journey, insisting he has never lost his love for Aston Villa despite nearly leaving the club last summer.
Manchester United opted to sign Senne Lammens instead of the Argentina international on deadline day in September. Around the same time, Villa manager Unai Emery made the decision to leave Martinez out of the squad to face Crystal Palace the night before.
Martinez has long stated that his dream at Aston Villa is to play a key role in ending the club’s 30-year trophy drought. On Wednesday, he has the opportunity to do just that when Villa face SC Freiburg in the UEFA Europa League Final.
Visibly emotional during the pre-match press conference, Martinez fought back tears as he reflected on his journey to this point. Now, he is determined to lift the trophy in Istanbul and make history with the club.
“I think we deserve it, I think the fans deserve it, and obviously the manager has had four or five finals in this competition,” Martinez said in the pre-match press conference. “We don't wish anyone else apart from him on the bench tomorrow, he doesn't have to do the European final, but listen, every time I go into a final I never think I always think about the outcome.
“I always think about where I come from, leaving my family behind when I was young. When I'm in the game, whatever happens, I know how tough times are in England.
“When I was young, I missed my family. Even now, I'm a World Cup winner, and a few titles for the national team, but two things about that young kid who left Argentina to save his family from poverty.”
Martinez’s future at Villa was in doubt 12 months ago, but says he is glad that he remained at Villa Park in the end.
“Well, I say goodbye and I cry when I left my family from Argentina to England as well,” Martinez said about shedding a tear in the final home game of last season. “Sometimes football can change, managers can come in and go. You know, in football people move around the place. It doesn't mean that I don’t have full respect for the club. I love the club.
“I have a commitment with Aston Villa. I am a World Cup winner with Aston Villa, I have won two Golden Gloves with Aston Villa. I will always and forever love this club. One day I am going to retire, so someone else will need to be between the sticks.
“Listen, I am in a European final and we have got Champions League again with all the circumstances that we have had and battles we have had this year. We are one of the lowest spenders in the Premier League.
“We have a top coach, a top captain and a decent core of the team. When we stick together and when we fight together, I think that we can beat anybody. I am really proud to stay - I made the right choice.”
