Peter Crouch hails Emi Martinez after 'unbelievable' save in Aston Villa draw with Juventus - 'At the top of his game'
Published 27/11/2024 at 23:56 GMT
TNT Sports pundits Peter Crouch, Eni Aluko and Alan Hutton were quick to praise goalkeeper Emi Martinez for his performance in Aston Villa's 0-0 draw with Juventus. The goalkeeper made a superb second-half save to ensure his side earned a point. However, there was late controversy at Villa Park, as Morgan Rogers had a goal ruled out for a "soft" foul on visiting stopper Michele di Gregorio.
'What a save' - Martinez produces stunning stop to deny Juve
Video credit: TNT Sports
TNT Sports pundit Peter Crouch heaped praise on Emi Martinez after his stunning save earned Aston Villa a point against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League.
Unai Emery's side played out a goalless draw with the Italian giants on home soil.
It means they have 10 points from their opening five games in the league phase of the competition.
However, things could have been very different had their Argentinian World Cup winner not made a remarkable stop to keep out Francisco Conceicao's header.
The ball had fallen kindly for the Juventus man, who was unmarked at the back post.
And although he got his effort on target, Martinez managed to change direction and claw the ball to safety, just millimetres before it crossed the line.
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Crouch was in awe of the stop. "This is an unbelievable save," he said on TNT Sports. "It's the moment where they switched off at the back post.
"It was a free header and he's just clawed that. It's millimetres. An unbelievable save.
"I used to love a real character in goal and I think that's what you've got with him.
"What I also like is his starting position. Quite often, when the ball's played through, he's in the correct position. He cleared two opportunities away with his feet.
"His starting position's good, he's commanding, he's a character and he pulls off saves like that. There's a reason that he's been voted the world's best goalkeeper.
"He's been at the top of his game for a long time now."
The draw means Aston Villa have conceded just one goal so far in the competition.
Only Italian giants Inter have a better defensive record, thanks to their remarkable five successive clean sheets.
Speaking on TNT Sports, former Villa defender Alan Hutton added: "That's what we've come to expect from Emi Martinez - in those big moments, huge saves.
"As a defence, as a team, you just grow in confidence when you know you've got somebody of that stature behind you that can pull something out of the bag, and that's what he's done."
The save from Martinez came on the night he paraded his Yashin Trophy in front of the Villa Park crowd.
The Argentine became the first goalkeeper to win the trophy twice in a row earlier this year.
"I'm no longer surprised when he pulls off saves like this," said TNT Sports pundit Eni Aluko.
"He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, if not the best. He did this against Bayern as well; absolutely unbelievable saves. He keeps Villa in it.
"This is just his level now."
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Digne 'so close to perfection' as Villa inches from opening scoring
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'The interpretation of the referee'
The result leaves Villa in ninth place in the Champions League table.
Their 10 points have been accumulated thanks to three victories, a draw and a defeat.
However, the home crowd were left furious when Morgan Rogers had a stoppage time goal ruled out after a VAR intervention.
The forward thought he had won the game for his side when he hooked into an empty net from close range.
The strike was ruled out, though, after the officials judged that Diego Carlos had fouled goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio in the build up.
Villans boss Unai Emery was disappointed with the decision, but remained composed. "The last action, it's clear, it's the interpretation of the referee, only the interpretation," he said.
"We know here in England, 80% is not a foul, maybe in Europe it's a foul. For me, of course [it's very harsh].
"Here in England, I know it's not foul, because it's a very soft contact. In Europe, it could be a foul.
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'In the Premier League, that's a goal' - Watkins reacts to disallowed goal
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"The referee, at the beginning, he didn't whistle. It was given as a goal. We have to accept it."
Striker Ollie Watkins was a little stronger in his interpretation of the decision.
"I think it's soft," he told TNT Sports. "Maybe in the Premier League, that's a goal. In Europe, in the competition, the goalkeepers are protected a lot with the referees.
"It's one of them. I thought we'd scored. But, to be fair, I thought it had 0-0 written all over it. We would have been lucky if we had taken that there.
"I've got to be careful what I say about the referees, but the referees are a little bit different during this competition. They don't let things go as much.
"We're used to that now. It's one of those things. Sometimes the decisions go with you, sometimes against you. But it's out of our control."
'Where can he go?'
TNT Sports' pundits were less diplomatic with their thoughts on the decision.
"Back in my day, and even before that, it was never a foul," said Crouch, who hung up his boots in 2019 after a short stint with Burnley.
"The crowd in this stadium weren't happy with the referee's performance at all.
"It's the last moment of the game. It's a huge moment. I think it's so soft, let's be honest.
"Carlos is trying to put him off and there's a little bit of contact, but if that's not the goalkeeper, I don't think you give it. There's too much protection for the goalkeeper. It's a massive moment."
Hutton added: "I think they're very lucky, Juventus, to get away with that one. I know nowadays they're always going to look at it, but for me, it was relatively soft.
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Watch as Rogers thinks he's won it for Villa - but for a VAR check
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"They'll feel hard done by. Carlos just puts the pressure on the goalkeeper. It's a shame it didn't work out, but it's one of those things in European football.
"He goes up, arms out-stretched to the ball. You know there's going to be a challenge. He plays it well. He goes down, he's rolling about. I think it's just a normal challenge within the box.
"You have to be able to go up and challenge at some point. What's it getting to when you have to jump up and jump out of the way. Where can he go? He has to challenge. It's soft."
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