Emiliano Martínez’s latest championship performance came at a price Wednesday, as the Argentine goalkeeper revealed he broke a finger while warming up before Aston Villa’s Europa League final against Freiburg.
Martínez put up a clean sheet as Villa secured its first European title since 1982 with a 3-0 victory over the German side, but his injury came less than a month away from Argentina’s World Cup opener against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City, Mo.
“For me, every bad thing brings something good,” Martínez shared after the final whistle via ESPN Argentina. “Should I be worried? Well, I’ve never had a broken finger before. Every time I caught the ball, it went the other way. But these are things you have to go through, and I’m proud to defend Aston Villa.”
Villa won its first European final in 44 years in convincing fashion, thanks to first-half goals from Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendía and a third goal from Morgan Rogers just before the hour mark at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul. Martínez was rarely called into action, having to make just two saves.
Whatever pain Martínez experienced did little to dampen the goalkeeper’s celebration. Martínez leaped into the traveling Villa faithful before later hoisting manager Unai Emery onto his shoulders.
Unai Emery gets the Emi Martínez treatment 🤣#UELfinal pic.twitter.com/z3kL5KrMyI
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 20, 2026
The victory adds another winner’s medal to Martínez’s already remarkable collection. The 33-year-old has now won every major final he has appeared in, including the FA Cup, the World Cup, two Copa Americas and now the Europa League.
