Last Updated on December 29, 2022 by
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez cruelly and repeatedly taunted Kylian Mbappé after Argentina beat France on penalties to win the World Cup in Qatar.
Emiliano Martinez will line up against his opposite number from the World Cup final, Hugo Lloris, as Aston Villa travel to Tottenham on Sunday.
The Argentina goalkeeper, 30, has arrived back in England and is set to return to Villa’s training ground on Thursday after long celebrations in his homeland. Martinez played an important role as Lionel Messi and Co beat Lloris’ France in the World Cup final via penalty shootout at the Lusail Stadium.
The ex-Arsenal shot-stopper continued to encourage Kylian Mbappe – who scored a hat-trick against Argentina – after La Albiceleste’s win. Martinez was roundly criticized for his provocative and unnecessary actions, with Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira calling them “stupid”.
The latest chapter in the saga will see Martinez and France captain Lloris square off once again, this time in the Premier League this weekend. The former has returned to the Midlands and is expected to be available to face Spurs in Sunday’s 2pm kick-off, with Villa hoping to bounce back from their 3-1 defeat by Liverpool on Boxing Day.
As well as receiving a hero’s welcome, Martinez can expect some harsh words from Villa manager Unai Emery, who is fully aware of the nature of “some celebration” aimed at Mbappe. The Spaniard said: “When you have big emotions, sometimes it’s hard to control them.
“I will speak with him (Martinez) next week about some celebrations, but I respect that he is now with his national team. When he is with us, in our responsibility, we can talk about it.”
What did you make of Emiliano Martinez’s taunt aimed at Kylian Mbappe after the World Cup final? Tell us in the comments…
Martinez was given 12 days off by Villa – the maximum they could give him – after winning the Golden Gloves in Qatar. As well as facing Lloris at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he will also face fellow Argentine hero in the form of Cristian Romero.
Spurs boss Antonio Conte has confirmed the defender will rejoin his club-mates ahead of the weekend game, which comes after Tottenham came from two goals down to rescue a point at Brentford. The north Londoners enter the match firmly in the mix of clubs chasing Champions League qualification, while Villa are in mid-table after replacing Steven Gerrard with Emery.
The match could have added bite after French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet lodged an official complaint about Martinez’s behavior following Argentina’s win over Les Bleus. Lloris failed to save one of the four penalties he faced in the shootout but guided France to victory over Croatia in the final in Russia four-and-a-half years earlier.