Revealed: Why Emi Martinez almost pulled out of Europa League final after unfortunate warm-up incident

Martinez has opened up on a secret injury battle that almost cost him his place in the starting line-up against Freiburg. The 33-year-old World Cup winner revealed that he suffered a broken finger during the pre-match warm-up, requiring urgent attention from the club's medical staff before he could take to the pitch in Turkey.

Despite the significant discomfort, Martinez completed the full 90 minutes as Villa cruised to a 3-0 victory. Reflecting on the incident, the goalkeeper admitted it was a first for him, stating: "Today I broke my finger during the warm-up and for me, every bad thing brings something good. I've done this my whole life and I'll keep doing it. Should I be worried? Well, I've never had a broken finger before. Every time I caught the ball, it went the other way. But these are things you have to go through, and I'm proud to defend Aston Villa."

While goals from Youri Tielemans, Emi Buendia, and Morgan Rogers did the damage at the other end of the pitch, Martinez remained reliable when called upon, producing two saves to keep a clean sheet. The victory secured Villa's first European trophy since 1982 and their first major piece of silverware in three decades, cementing Unai Emery's status as a specialist in this competition.

The historic win sparked wild celebrations that saw the keeper hoist his manager into the air. "What we achieved tonight was beautiful. I feel proud and the feeling I keep growing match after match," Martinez said after the final whistle. "Today, I tried to pour in all my experience, and all those training sessions that no one ever sees finally bore fruit."

For Martinez, this victory marks the culmination of a journey that almost took a different path last summer. He was heavily linked with a move away from Villa Park, with Manchester United reportedly showing strong interest during a chaotic transfer window that saw him temporarily dropped from the squad.

However, speaking ahead of the final, the former Arsenal man made it clear he had no regrets about his commitment to the Villa project. Reflecting on the previous interest from Old Trafford, he stated: "I am a World Cup winner with Aston Villa, I have won two Golden Gloves with Aston Villa. I will always and forever love this club... I am really proud to stay - I made the right choice." With a European medal now to his name, that decision has been well and truly vindicated.

While the broken finger caused immediate concern for the Villa faithful, Martinez downplayed the severity of the issue regarding his international duties. With Argentina set to defend their world title in North America next month, the shot-stopper is confident he will be ready to lead from the back once again.

"I am overjoyed. Now, it's time to celebrate with the lads," he said. "Something that this team hasn't really had the chance to do in a long time. Then my focus will turn toward the World Cup." With a trophy cabinet that now includes the World Cup, two Copa Americas, and the Europa League, Martinez has cemented his status as a serial winner, boasting a flawless record of having never lost a single final he has appeared in.