Emiliano Martinez: Hopefully he is coming in 100 per cent focused– Unai Emery

Emiliano Martinez’s World Cup-winning mindset, in Unai Emery’s opinion, will spur Aston Villa on for the remainder of the Premier League season.

Martinez’s heroics in the penalty shootout in the championship match against France and an outstanding save in extra time were instrumental in ensuring that Argentina won the tournament in Qatar 2022 and ended their 36-year wait for a third world championship.

After assisting Lionel Messi in winning the football world cup, Martinez courted controversy with his post-tournament celebrations, mocking Kylian Mbappe of France, whose hat-trick attempt at Lusail Stadium was unsuccessful.

Emery, who had previously committed to talking to Martinez about his antics, thinks his clubmates should emulate Martinez’s mentality.

Unai Emery on Emiliano Martinez

“Hopefully he is coming [in] 100 per cent focused on Aston Villa,” Emery told reporters ahead of Villa’s trip to Tottenham.

“Of course, he needs to adapt quickly again. Every Aston Villa supporter must be proud of him.

“We have, in our team and our squad, a winner of a World Cup, which he deserves. He is pushing his team-mates on the training ground every day.

“When he is coming back we have to try to introduce him again into and to be positive to use his energy and try to use his mentality to help us.”

Villa is currently positioned in the middle of the Premier League standings after suffering a defeat against Liverpool on Boxing Day.