Team-mate makes 'focus' claim after Emi Martinez's latest Aston Villa heroics
Emi Buendia claims Emi Martinez has put the uncertainty of the summer firmly behind him after saluting the Villa goalkeeper's winning mentality.
Martinez went from villain to hero as, one week after making a costly error in Villa’s defeat to Liverpool, he made a superb penalty save to help them thrash Bournemouth 4-0.
The Argentina international’s future was the subject of intense speculation during the transfer window and he was left out of August’s 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, with boss Unai Emery suggesting he wasn’t fully focused.
Martinez has rebounded keeping clean sheets in three of his last four appearances and his fellow Argentina international and friend Buendia said: “For him and every single person or player when you are in a situation like he was, it’s not easy.
“But then after the break and the transfer window he has shown everyone he is really focused in the club.
“I think he showed from the first five years he has been here, he always tries his best. He is training like the best, pushing himself to the best places.
“Like anyone he can make a mistake. It happened in Liverpool but he steps up and works on it.
“It is really important to have someone with that kind of mentality in the team because he pushes all the squad to be better.”
Martinez has twice won the award for world’s best goalkeeper since joining Villa from Arsenal for £20million in 2020.
The 33-year-old was a key player when Argentina won the 2022 World Cup and signed a new five-year contract at Villa in the summer of 2024.
He left the pitch in tears following the final home match of last season, leading many to believe a departure was imminent. But interest from Atletico Madrid and Manchester United failed to materialise into a firm bid.
Martinez has started all eight of Villa’s league matches since the window closed, with Sunday his most eye-catching performance to date.
In addition to saving Semenyo’s penalty, he also produced a stunning stop to keep out Alex Scott’s deflected effort.
Asked if Martinez was now more settled than in the summer, Buendia said: “Yes, of course. Sometimes these kind of things, emotionally, can have an impact.
“But he tries the best, he works the best and he showed his quality in the game.
“Not just the penalty (on Sunday) but the save from the deflection, that was unbelievable.
“When I saw the replay after, it was incredible, the strength and the reflexes to jump and avoid the goal.
“It is really important. We feel like we have a strong man in the goal. When Marco has played he has been fantastic and it shows the level of this squad. It is the mentality we want for everyone.
"Sunday's result was big but they Bournemouth had their chances. When you have the best goalkeeper in the world in that kind of moment, with the penalty the game could change but he did his work and helped the team push for the last minutes."
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