Aston Villa goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, revealed he broke his finger during the warm-up before his side’s Europa League final win against Freiburg.
The injury happened moments before kick-off in Istanbul, with the Argentine receiving immediate attention from the club’s medical staff.
Despite the setback, he played the full match as Villa secured a 3-0 victory to win their first European trophy in 44 years.
Villa controlled the game from start to finish, with goals from Youri Tielemans, Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers sealing a result that ended their 30-year wait for a major trophy.
ALSO READ: Clubs with most Europa League titles in history
Martinez was not heavily tested but still made two saves during the match as Villa managed the final with control.
Speaking after the game, he explained how the injury happened and how he dealt with it.
“Today I broke my finger during the warm-up and for me, every bad thing brings something good. I’ve done this my whole life and I’ll keep doing it.
“Should I be worried? Well, I’ve never had a broken finger before. Every time I caught the ball, it went the other way. But these are things you have to go through, and I’m proud to defend Aston Villa.”
The goalkeeper still took part in the celebrations after the final whistle, joining supporters and lifting manager Unai Emery.
His presence added to a night of celebration for Villa, who lifted a major European trophy for the first time in decades.
Argentina will now monitor his condition ahead of their World Cup squad announcement, with concern over the injury’s severity.
Martinez has now won every final he has played in, including the FA Cup final, the World Cup final, two Copa America titles and now the Europa League.
