Aston Villa are showing positive signs that this current campaign could prove to be one of their best in many a year.
A top-four finish is still on the cards for Unai Emery’s men after that stunning 2-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday.
But what could also be the cherry on top of the cake is the probability of Aston Villa winning their first major trophy in nearly three decades as the team prepares for the second leg of our Europa Conference League tie against Lille.
In these crunch moments, when the pressure will seriously get to the players, mistakes simply can’t be made.
Big, big characters are needed to get the team over the line, a lot of that was showcased during the win over Arsenal at the Emirates.
One of Villa’s main characters and big-game players is the goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
It’s pretty obvious to all why he has a World Cup winner’s medal to his name. This guy is made for these moments.
Tim Sherwood thinks Martinez is ‘real leader’ at Villa Park and someone who is his ‘favourite goalkeeper in the Premier League’.
Let’s be honest, given that the £17 million signing has the tendency to rub people up the wrong way, then it’s a rarity for anyone outside of Villa to see him in such high regard.
But Sherwood, who was sacked as Villa boss in 2015, certainly appreciates what he brings to the table and hailed the player’s ‘calming influence’ on the team, as he told Premier League Productions (15/04/24 at 5:10 pm).
World’s number one Emiliano Martinez
“This guy is my favourite goalkeeper in the league,” said Sherwood.
“He’s a giant of a man. He’s got a presence and a real leader. He conducts the orchestra in front of him and has a calming influence. You ask them Villa fans, this man is a colossus and he makes big saves like that (Trossard) time and time again.”
Emiliano Martinez and Lille fans
Expect the Villa number one to get a hostile reception in France when we face Lille for the second leg of the Europa Conference League quarter-final tie on Thursday night.
This is the first time Martinez will be playing in France after winning the World Cup for Argentina at the expense of the French in Qatar.
The manner in which Martinez went about his business seriously annoyed people and wouldn’t it be something if penalties were required again?!
But the 31-year-old is used to this all, in fact, he thrives from it, so Villa have nothing to worry about here.
The post ’This guy is my favourite in the league’: Tim Sherwood says £17m star is a 'colossus' at Aston Villa appeared first on Aston Villa News.
