Player says he wants to win Champions League with Aston Villa – Insists you should “never give up hope”

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez has insisted he wants to win the Champions League with the club, but knows that will be difficult.

The Argentine international has sat down for an interview with Soccer News in the Netherlands, largely to discuss his heroics at the World Cup when he was decisive in Argentina’s win over Oranje.

He played a key role in the penalty shootout in that game, producing two wonderful saves to help his country secure a 4-3 win and go on to win the tournament in Qatar.

That performance, and later success, continued his rise in recent years in which he has gone from being out of the picture at Arsenal to the star of the show for Aston Villa and Argentina.

With that rise in fame, and success in both the Copa America and the World Cup, has come a burning desire for more on a club level.

That’s seen Martínez make it clear on more than one occasion that he wishes to be competing at a higher level domestically, something which he has now reiterated.

“I am still very motivated and have set myself a few goals. And that’s not all: I want to win the Champions League,” he said.

“I would like to do that with Aston Villa, but of course it won’t be easy, because that club is still in the ‘development phase’. However, you should never give up hope.

“I feel that at the moment I have the level to play in the Champions League and try to win it one day.”