Emi Martinez issues demand to Aston Villa with World Cup winner frustrated by trophy drought at club level

The enigmatic South American has savoured global glory and two Copa America triumphs with Argentina, while landing a number of prestigious individual accolades. He did win the FA Cup and three Community Shields at Arsenal, but only figured in two of the contests that delivered gold medals there.

Martinez, at 32 years of age, is determined to help Villa claim a first piece of silverware since the 1996 League Cup. You have turn the clock back even further to find the club’s last FA Cup win, in 1957, but another quest for that iconic prize is about to begin.

Ahead of an FA Cup third-round clash with West Ham on Friday, Martinez has said: "I want silverware for the club. I want a cup run and I was very frustrated to be knocked out by Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup. I think the fans deserve to be in Wembley at the end of the season. It is something missing for the club for many years. I want cups and I know the feeling it brings for myself and the fans."

Martinez added: "For me, anything is possible in football. When I came here the club were not in the situation we are in now. The season before I arrived, we finished 17th, and then progressively, we were 11th, seventh, and fourth. The season so far has been good - not like I want it to be - but we knew that playing in the Champions League and competing in the top four would be tough. We had to sell players and the new players needed time to adapt, which they are doing now. We are doing well."

Martinez, with two Yashin Trophy wins and a couple of FIFA Best Goalkeeper awards to his name, went on to say of the pressure that he is now operating under: "I was talking to my agent, my dad and my wife, saying that you can’t really enjoy awards. It’s game after game after game. Once you get to that level you need to perform week in, week out. Everyone expects you to perform and everyone is waiting for you to make a mistake, saying 'that's the best 'keeper making mistakes’. We are struggling to keep clean sheets and that’s hurting me a lot because I demand a lot in myself."

Villa have kept just one clean sheet through their last nine games in all competitions, and only six in total across the 2024-25 campaign. Martinez is, however, a proven performer at the very highest level and will believe that record can be improved during the business end of the season.