Emiliano Martinez Escapes Red Card Despite Second Yellow - Here's Why

Aston Villa faced off against French counterparts Lille in a thrilling Europa Conference League quarter-final match. Emiliano Martinez the man who stole the show received a second yellow card but was not sent off.

The game had turned into a high-stakes showdown as Lille had taken a 2-0 lead against Aston Villa, putting them ahead 3-2 on aggregate. However, Matty Cash scored a late goal for Aston Villa which leveled the tie and made the match head into extra time. When penalties were required to separate the two teams, the tension was evident.

Emiliano Martinez, the Argentine goalkeeper, already had a yellow card for time-wasting. As the shootout Slovakian began, he received a second yellow card from Slovakian referee Ivan Kruzliak. Fans and players alike were baffled when Martinez was not sent off. The grounds for this is a niche rule that comes into play during penalty shootouts.

The niche law is found in Law 10 of the International Football Association Board which states: “Warnings and cautions issued during the match do not carry forward into penalties”. Consequently, a player who receives a yellow card during the match and the penalty shootouts is not sent off. Martinez’s first yellow card from regular time was effectively wiped out when the shootout began. Therefore, his second yellow card counted as just one during the shootout.

Despite the confusion, Martinez remained on the pitch and his experience and commitment paid off. His exceptional performance highlights the fact that football is not always about strategies and scoring goals but also about peculiarities in the rulebook His frustration was evident as he later said, “I just don’t understand the rules.” But he was determined to help his team. Martinez saved the decisive penalty, securing Aston Villa’s place in the Europa Conference League semi-finals.

Martinez's name will forever be linked with that thrilling shootout as Villa advances in the tournament. He defied all odds as a goalkeeper, leaving fans to ponder about the possibility of different rules.