Emiliano Martinez claims he doesn’t ‘understand the rules’ when asked about his two yellow cards for Aston Villa.
During the first half of their Europa Conference League quarter-final second leg victory over Lille, the goalkeeper was booked for wasting time.
Referee Ivan Kruzliak then showed him a second yellow card during the penalty shootout, but Martinez avoided being sent off due to a little-known rule.
Controversy marred his exploits in the shootout as he saved two penalties to help Villa advance to the semi-finals of the competition.
Talk to TNT Sports After the match, Martinez defended against warnings in what turned out to be a dramatic European match.
“I just get a bad reputation for wasting time because the other goalie [Lucas Chevalier] I was doing exactly the same thing,” he said of the first yellow card.
“I get a booking after 30 minutes and we lose the match, so I don’t know what the referee expects of me.”
Moving on to the second yellow, he added: “And then again there was no ball at the penalty spot and I ask a ball boy for a ball and then I get a warning. I just don’t understand the rules.”
After making his first penalty save in the shootout, Martinez turned to the Lille fans behind him and gave a happy shush gesture.
The Argentine then danced quickly in front of the home fans after making the decisive save to send Villa into the last four.
Martinez was once again back with his cheeky antics and was on hand to revel in his social media glee with a cheeky post on X.
Two photos were posted by the 31-year-old, one of him saving a penalty and another of him silencing Lille fans in celebration.
Both were accompanied by an emoji depicting a face covered by his hands, with Martinez quick to remind rival fans of his feat.
Villa beat Lille 2-1 in the first leg but were beaten 2-1 in France, with Matty Cash’s late goal ensuring the tie went into extra time.
Unai Emery’s side then won 4-3 on penalties to seal their first major European semi-final since 1982, when they won the European Cup.
They will face Olympiakos in the last four, with Villa the only English team still in European competition this season.