Peter Schmeichel has lauded Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez by claiming that he has ‘progressed’ since his move to Aston Villa from Arsenal in 2020.
Villa paid Arsenal £17 million (BBC Sport) for the player a number of years ago, after winning the FA Cup in north London, and since then, he has won Copa America with his nation.
Schmeichel praised Martinez’s performances at the Qatar World Cup, with Argentina in the quarter-finals of football’s biggest tournament.
It wasn’t an easy ride for the South American giants because they narrowly beat Australia 2-1 in the last-16, and Martinez did have to pull off a point-blank save in stoppage-time to deny the Aussies an equaliser.
Nonetheless, Schmeichel was full of praise for Villa’s vice-captain, who has gone from strength to strength over the years, as he told beIN SPORTS.
“With Martinez, he came for four or five crosses as well, which calms everyone down,” said Schmeichel. “I think he has done really, really well.
“I kind of like him to be up there amongst the best. I think he has done fantastically well since he came to Aston Villa, I think he has progressed.”
MARTINEZ IS VILLA’S MOST CONSISTENT PERFORMER
Since his move to Villa Park, Martinez could argue that he has been his side’s most consistent performer.
During his first season in B6, he secured 15 clean sheets, and whilst the dream of returning to Europe hasn’t been achieved yet, players like Martinez increase Villa’s chances of returning to those good old days.
Whilst Arsenal have one of the Premier League’s best in Aaron Ramsdale in between the sticks, Martinez himself made the right call to leave the club given how his own career has taken off.
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