Aston Villa may have failed to win against Nottingham Forest on Saturday but reigning Yashin Trophy winner Emiliano Martinez did all that he could to keep them in the match. Martinez made four saves in the clash but his save on Nicolas Domingez in the 59th minute is going to be in the running for save of the season.
Morgan Gibbs-White flicked on a corner kick that Domingez got his head to creating a chance that was worth 0.46 xG. Martinez’s reaction to that header was impressive as he had no time to react but at the time kept the match level thanks to his excellent play.
Check out this unreal save:
It’s up there with the best saves that Martinez has made for club and country as he’s always been someone who steps up in big moments. During the World Cup in 2022, Martinez denied Randal Kolo Muani in the World Cup final with the match between Argentina and France level 3-3 in the 123rd minute of play.
That shot was worth 0.39 xG. Take a look:
When you need a keeper to make a save in the biggest moments, there’s no one in the world who can be called on over Martinez. But which was better? They aren’t all created equal because circumstances matter. Because of that, the save on Kolo Muani is better due to helping Argentina secure a World Cup title. I mean, a save in the final seconds like that is just out of this world with the weight of a nation on his shoulders. But that doesn’t take away from how impressive Saturday’s save was, and for many it was likely the more pleasing save visually speaking.
From unsettling players during penalty shootouts to dealing with things in open play, Martinez can do it all for Villa or Argentina. In time, we’ll see if this save ends up being the best one of the year.