Martinez suspended after yellow card drama at Europa Conference League

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez has been suspended for the first leg of the club’s Europa Conference League semi-final against Olympiakos.

Villa will host the Greek side at Villa Park on May 2 with the return leg a week later in Piraeus.

UEFA confirmed the suspension on Friday, stating that Martinez received three yellow cards in their Europa Conference League quarter-final against Lille, which Villa won in a dramatic penalty shoot-out on Thursday after a 3-3 aggregate draw.

The Argentine shot-stopper was carded in the first leg and during normal time of the second leg. He received a second yellow for his gamesmanship during the shoot-out.

Martinez was not sent off as yellow cards during normal and extra-time do not carry forward to a penalty shoot-out.

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However, the yellow card does count as a third booking, meaning he will sit out of the first leg of the semi-final.

Martinez, however, said he doesn’t understand the rules, adding that it was his destiny to be the penalty shoot-out hero.

He told Sky Sports: “It has been a hell of a ride all of my career. I am a believer and a hard worker and it was my destiny today.

“I always say in all my career, I owe my team-mates in those moments, even when we were watching Real Madrid last night the manager was saying we might go to penalties and in those moments I own my box.

“I get booked after 30 minutes and we’re losing the game so I don’t know what the referee wanted for me.

“In the shoot-out, there was no ball on the penalty spot and I was asking for a ball from the ball boy and then I got booked.

“I just don’t understand the rules.”

The Star