"He's a mad man. I know he's a family man, but he is a big kid inside, a lively character and a top goalkeeper, but even at 2-0 he made a great save. It was brilliant from Emi, but it highlights Jadon's performance, his best in a Villa shirt. He was man of the match tonight by a mile."
"In a strong moment for us, we conceded that goal we could have avoided. We couldn't score, we didn't make it. And Martínez's pass -- I tried to stay in front of him but he had an amazing assist and it's frustrating."
Aston Villa defeated Lille 2-0 to progress to the Europa League quarterfinals, winning 3-0 on aggregate. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was instrumental in the victory, making an important save before providing a precise long-range pass that set up John McGinn's goal just 15 seconds later. Leon Bailey added a second goal to secure the win. Martínez's performance drew attention from Lille supporters, who remain hostile toward the Argentine keeper following his involvement in the 2022 World Cup final and previous Conference League encounters. McGinn praised Martínez as a top goalkeeper and lively character, while also highlighting Jadon Sancho's exceptional performance. The early second-half goal proved decisive for Villa's progression.
Read at ESPN.com
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