Emiliano Martinez will be sidelined for the first leg of Aston Villa’s Europa Conference League semi-final against Olympiacos. Despite receiving two yellow cards during the second-leg quarterfinal triumph over Lille, Martinez’s penalty shootout booking spared him immediate suspension.
However, UEFA’s regulations stipulate that players face suspension after accumulating three cautions in the tournament, irrespective of whether they result in a red card. Martinez’s three bookings, including two in the Lille matches and one earlier in the competition, trigger this suspension.
The Argentine goalkeeper’s absence in the opening leg on May 2 at Villa Park is a consequence of these disciplinary measures. Villa will then journey to Greece for the return fixture on May 9.
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Martinez defended his actions, explaining that his caution during the shootout stemmed from attempting to expedite proceedings, as he believed the opposing goalkeeper was also time-wasting. Nevertheless, UEFA’s ruling stands, leaving Martinez unavailable for the crucial encounter.