Aston Villa may have come up short against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, but reigning Yashin Trophy winner Emiliano Martinez did all he could to keep them in the game. Martinez made four saves in the clash but his save on Nicolas Domingez in the 59th minute will be in contention for the save of the season.
Morgan Gibbs-White threw in a corner which Domingez managed to create a chance that was worth 0.46 xG. Martinez’s reaction to this header was impressive as he had no time to react but at the time kept the match level with his excellent play.
Check out this unreal save:
This is among the best saves Martinez has made for club and country, as he has always been someone who steps up in big moments. In the 2022 World Cup, Martinez denied Randal Kolo Muani in the World Cup final with the match between Argentina and France tied 3-3 in the 123rd minute of play.
This shot was worth 0.39 xG. Take a look here.
When you need a goalkeeper to make a save in the biggest moments, there’s no one in the world you can call on for Martinez. But which one was the best? They are not all created equal because circumstances matter. For this reason, Kolo Muani’s save is better because it helped Argentina win a World Cup title. I mean, a save like that in the final seconds is just out of this world with the weight of a nation on his shoulders. But that doesn’t take away from Saturday’s impressive stop, and for many it was probably the most visually pleasing stop.
From unsettling players during penalties to dealing with problems in open play, Martinez can do it all for Villa or Argentina. In time, we’ll see if this save turns out to be the best of the year.
