Martinez parades goalkeeper awards and justifies them with the wonder save for Villa in the Champions League

Emi Martinez started the night by walking onto the field with her children and showing off a couple of trophies for being the world’s best goalkeeper for the past two years.

He finished it off by producing a stunning save that justified those awards.

The Argentina international announced a 0-0 draw between his Aston Villa team and Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday at picks the ball behind him and scooped it off the goal line to deny Francisco Conceição what could have been the winner.

Replays showed the ball was almost over the line before Martinez hooked it free and the goalkeeper was quickly congratulated by his teammates.

No save by Martinez will ever beat the one he pulled off for Argentina in the final seconds of extra time. World Cup Final 2022denies France striker Randal Kolo Muani, keeping teammate Lionel Messi’s dream of finally winning football’s biggest prize alive.

He might have just run it close.

It was fitting that he made his wonderful save against Juve tonight he showed up the two Yashin trophies he claimed at the Ballon d’Or in each of the past two years. The latest came last month.

As for Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, he finished the game relieved that what appeared to be a mistake in the final seconds of stoppage time did not cost his side.

Di Gregorio spilled a cross under pressure from Villa defender Diego Carlos and Morgan Rogers was there to slot the ball into the net.

A goal was awarded by the on-field referee, but after a two-minute check it was ruled a foul on Di Gregorio by Carlos.

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