Emi Martinez criticized referee Ivan Kruzliak after receiving two yellow cards in Aston Villa’s shootout win over Lille. On the other hand, he contributed to his team’s victory by saving a crucial penalty, allowing Aston Villa to progress to the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.

The confusion arose when Martinez was issued a second yellow card in the shootout, despite having previously received a caution for time wasting in the first half. According to IFAB Law 10, yellow cards are reset in a penalty shootout, which allowed Martinez to continue playing.

When questioned about the yellow cards, he expressed frustration, stating that he had a bad reputation for time wasting and did not understand the referee’s decisions. The Argentina goalkeeper was met with relentless booing from Lille fans throughout the match, likely stemming from previous incidents in the World Cup final against France and subsequent celebrations.

Despite this, Martinez made a crucial save during the shootout and celebrated with the traveling Aston Villa fans, further provoking the home crowd before being escorted off the pitch. Under Unai Emery’s management, Aston Villa has achieved a major milestone by reaching the semi-finals of a European competition for the first time since 1982.

Emery has a remarkable track record in European competitions as a manager, contributing to the team’s success.