Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has used Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez as an example to send a warning to his players.
According to Infobae, Scaloni has urged rest of the squad to behave approximately, after the 32-year-old’s suspension.
FIFA have suspended the Aston Villa star for two matches for his “offensive behaviour” against both Chile and Colombia last month. He made a gesture against Chile and then pushed a camera after Argentina’s 1-0 defeat to Colombia.
Martínez was unhappy with this verdict and suggested that FIFA has something against him. Speaking to the reporters on Tuesday, Scaloni said he doesn’t want his players to miss matches unnecessarily.
“He has already expressed himself and he has been fine, he did it in a very respectful and correct way,” he said, relayed by Infobae.
“On my part, as coach, I told my players that these are things that we hope won’t happen again. The team can’t afford not to have ‘Dibu’ or ‘Cuti’ Romero, they are important players and beyond agreeing or not with the sanction, we can’t afford that.
“We have to emphasise that. If a player is sent off or reprimanded it has to be for something worthwhile, for something about the game.”
The Argentine football association were in “absolute disagreement” with FIFA’s decision to suspend the Aston Villa player. Even though the national team manager has sent a message to his players, he doesn’t agree with the governing body’s verdict on Martínez.
“In my case, I do not agree with the sanction. Emiliano has expressed himself very well and he hopes not to repeat it again,” Scaloni explained.
“Because no, much worse things happen and they are not sanctioned, I don’t think so, but hey, I’m not the one who sanctions.”
The Aston Villa player has made 47 appearances for Argentine since making his debut in 2021.
Martínez last failed to make it to the national team squad for the friendly against Estonia in June 2022. Since then, he’s missed one game [on the bench against Costa Rica in March] for the World Cup winners.
