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Emiliano Martinez sparked outrage with this gesture after Argentina beat France in the 2022 World Cup final - Getty Images/Marc Atkins
Emiliano Martínez will return to France as public enemy No 1 on Wednesday but there is no question that Aston Villa’s wind-up merchant will be ready.
Whatever the occasion, and however hostile the reception, Martínez always comes alive on nights like this. A cauldron of bile at Parc des Princes will have little effect on Villa’s goalkeeper and these are the moments when he really shines.
Martínez can expect to be centre stage in Villa’s Champions League quarter-final first leg. To refresh the memory, it was at the 2022 World Cup final when he infuriated the French nation by celebrating Argentina’s win with a lewd gesture before further provoking star forward Kylian Mbappé by holding a baby doll with his face stuck on it during their homecoming parade.
Though Mbappé has since departed for Real Madrid, he remains one of Paris’s golden boys. Baiting such an icon will not be forgotten by the fervent home supporters.
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Martinez enraged France by clutching a Kylian Mbappé doll during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup celebrations
These incidents were followed by a racism storm after an Instagram video of several Argentina players singing a chant questioning the heritage of France’s black and mixed-race players last year. Tensions then spilt over after the final whistle when the two countries met at the Paris Olympics, with the hostility replicated in other sports and politicians also getting involved.
Martínez’s personal history with France, and the recent wider context of the two nations, means many footballers would be excused for harbouring a few concerns ahead of such a big game. But Martínez always performs at an elite level in the face of adversity.
Villa’s supporters insist he is the world’s best keeper and Martínez embraces all of that and his status as the pantomime villain who opposition fans love to hate, but also have to grudgingly rate.
Martínez was up to his tricks again last month, angering Brazil with his antics towards the end of Argentina’s 4-1 win in a World Cup qualifier. With time ticking away, he performed his own private game of keepy-up in the penalty area.
Wednesday’s clash in the French capital will be his second appearance in the country since that World Cup controversy. His last visit was crammed with drama, too.
In April last year he produced a heroic display against Lille in the second leg of the Europa Conference League quarter-final. In a nerve-shredding penalty shoot-out, he saved two spot kicks and avoided dismissal despite picking up a second yellow card for asking a ball boy to give him the ball.
As Villa celebrated victory he turned to the Lille fans to perform a trademark shimmy before running the length of the pitch to the Villa fans sitting high in Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Beyond the mind games and dance moves, Martínez has plenty of substance. A golden glove winner at the World Cup and Copa America (the latter twice), he is remarkably consistent and a serial winner with incredible mental strength.
Known as “Dibu”, the 32-year-old has a mindset that raises standards and matches the unrelenting drive of his manager Unai Emery. He is desperate to win a trophy with Villa or, at the very least, reach a final.
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Martinez arrived in Paris with a Gallic rooster cap on, covered with a patch noting his numerous international triumphs - X
Martínez regards Javi García, Villa’s goalkeeping coach, as a major influence. The pair are very close and García constantly pushes Martínez, backing up his arguments with detailed statistics.
Another key figure is sports psychologist David Pressley. Martínez has worked with him for more than six years now, back to his time at Arsenal when he struggled to break through.
His reputation as a rogue in gloves is all part of the act, and goes some way to psyching out opposition strikers. Many forwards have crumbled in front of Martínez in one-on-one situations as the pressure becomes too great.
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Martínez is known as one of the Premier League’s primary wind-up merchants - PA/John Walton
In an interview with Telegraph Sport earlier this season, Martínez reflected on his on-field image. “Sometimes when you see me from the outside, you think, ‘He looks a show-off’,” he said. “But I’m just a normal guy, a family man. When it is about winning I try everything I can to win the game.
“I never try to wind fans up, I never do that. I just try to slow things down when the game is against us. But, you know, if you keep yourself steady and you don’t insult any religion, any player, I think you can do whatever you want.”
Villa manager Emery said: “He is more mature and he is responsible. He is getting better at controlling his emotions.
“My conversation with him is always the same: focus on the football and your individual challenges and you have to try and control the emotion it is bringing to you.”
Martínez will be crucial on Wednesday against the French champions as Villa strive to ensure the tie remains alive for the rematch in Birmingham next week.
In the previous round, it was Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson Becker who produced an outstanding performance to repel PSG at their own stadium. Few would bet against Martínez proving equally influential. If a penalty was to be awarded to the home team, expect the full repertoire of provocation to be unleashed.
PSG are one of the Champions League favourites and, while they will represent another litmus test of Martínez’s abilities, nobody expects him to buckle.
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