Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez claims he hasn’t had a good season with Unai Emery’s side so far.
He had a detailed chat with ESPN Argentina and his comments are relayed by Olé.
They state the 32-year-old is ‘self-critical’ of his own performances for Aston Villa this season.
The World Cup winner has kept six clean sheets and conceded 27 goals from 22 games in all competitions this season. This includes two clean sheets in the Premier League where he has conceded 24 goals so far.
On Monday, Martínez won the FIFA’s Best Men’s Goalkeeper award, just over a month after winning the Yashin Trophy. The stopper talked about his own form when pointed out that he has six clean sheets for Aston Villa this season.
“I’ve been very poor, I’m not having a good year in that, by chance I always end up getting involved,” he said.
“But the important thing is to win, be in the Champions League again, fight in the Premier League and try to win a title. Those are my objectives, the clean sheet comes second.”
At the weekend, Aston Villa host Manchester City in the Premier League and the Citizens enter this tie with just one win in last 11 games in all competitions.
Despite their recent struggles, the former Arsenal man insists Pep Guardiola’s side are still one the best teams.
“It’s normal, it’s difficult to maintain the level they’ve had for so many years: it’s going to be difficult for someone to match what they’ve done over the last six years,” Martínez explained.
“It’s something similar to the national team, when you lose a game, it seems like the end of the world because of what we generate, people are used to winning.
“In the end, they’re fourth [currently fifth] in the Premier League, they’re competing in the Champions League and they’re going to play in the Club World Cup, so they’re not bad. It’s just that people are used to seeing them win 4-0 every game. City haven’t gone anywhere, they’re still the best in the world.”
The Villans are currently seventh in the table, two points behind Manchester City, and a win on Saturday will see them go above the English champions.
