Aston Villa star Emi Martinez backed to handle PSG crowd abuse in Champions League quarter-final – as Argentine adds to public enemy status with cap

Youri Tielemans backed Aston Villa’s chief wind-up merchant Emi Martinez to handle the abuse of the home crowd in Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Martinez is one of the prime villains for the French sporting public thanks to his antics after helping Argentina beat France in the 2022 World Cup Final, and he appeared to pour fuel on the fire by travelling to Paris wearing a cap displaying the four titles he has won at international level.

The 32-year-old goalkeeper is sure to receive a fierce welcome from the PSG supporters but Tielemans insists Martinez will be completely unfazed.

‘I don’t care about it – we are here to play the game and I don’t mind whatever happens with Emi as long as it stays respectful in football terms,’ said the Villa midfielder.

‘That is probably his style. He is ready for the game and hasn’t spoken differently to us from how he does before any other game. He is focused and looking forward to it.’

Villa will be underdogs to reach the last four but thanks to the European experience of boss Unai Emery, who has reached the semi-finals of this competition with Villarreal and won the Europa League four times, they have travelled to France full of optimism.

Emi Martinez has been backed to cope with abuse of PSG fans, by team-mate Youri Tielemans

Martinez thrived when faced with abuse in France last year when helping Aston Villa beat Lille

Unai Emery insists his goalkeeper is mature and is getting better at controlling his emotions

Emery spent two years in charge of the French champions and the last time he faced current PSG Luis Enrique will be forever etched on his memory.

Despite leading 4-0 after the first leg, Emery’s PSG side were knocked out of the Champions League in 2017 by Enrique’s Barcelona, who won the second leg at the Nou Camp 6-1.

Tielemans added: ‘The manager knows what it is like to be a this stage and he has a plan in place. We are ready to play.’

Asked about Martinez, Emery added: ‘He is mature. He is responsible. He is getting better at controlling his emotions. He is a better goalkeeper than he was when he joined Villa in 2020.

‘Now my conversations with him are the same – focus on football, on your individual challenges, and try to manage everything you are achieving. Try to control the emotion it is bringing to you.’