Emmanuel Petit hit out at Emiliano Martínez (32) ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s victory over Aston Villa on Wednesday, after the Argentine goalkeeper went about provoking his status as public enemy number one in France.
Martínez has a storied relationship with France following his antics in the penalty shootout as Argentina beat Les Bleus in the 2022 World Cup final. He was provided a villain’s welcome when he helped Aston Villa eliminate Lille OSC in last season’s Europa League quarter-final.
Following the match, Martínez stated, “[Lille supporters] insulted me the whole match. I’ve never been insulted so much in my whole life. They did everything to me, and I did nothing in return for 120 minutes of the match.”
Neither side is willing to let past unpleasantness be water under the bridge, and Martínez arrived in France on Tuesday sporting a cap commemorating Argentina’s international victories, including their defeat of France. He also had a fresh haircut with his nation’s kit colours dyed into a strip of his hair.
It was a provocative display, and one that drew criticism from former France and Arsenal midfielder Petit, who told Rothen s’enflamme. “I blame Martínez for going too far. Enough is enough. I’m the first to accept that teasing is part of football and life in general, but it shouldn’t constantly descend into denigration, it shouldn’t be disrespectful, it shouldn’t descend into harassment.”
He continued, “We have the impression that in every match, we expect something out of bounds from him… I think he’s a very good goalkeeper, and he doesn’t need to give himself extreme motivation. But everywhere he goes, he leaves an exasperating image of his behaviour.”
“He recently said in an interview that he never goes too far… The boy needs to undergo psychotherapy, to see a psychiatrist, because we don’t have the same definition of what is out of bounds. This guy, frankly, needs to learn to control himself emotionally,” Petit lamented.
GFFN | Nick Hartland
Mc-anthony
88
I like the fact that martinez doesn't care at all....he is just feeding off there anger lol
musty356
47
There are two people whom are in pain since 18 December 2022 Ronaldo fans and french national team fans, just move on and prepare for the next FIFA world cup
DrHalaMsdrid
30
Maybe it’s the entire people of France that needs a psychiatrist…. Is France 🇫🇷 the only team to have lost a World Cup final ? Is France 🇫🇷 the only team that Argentina 🇦🇷 has won against ? Maybe if Thruam had scored that last minute goal … Martinez won’t be so popular among French football !!! France need to clam down and let this Argentina guy live his life his way and wear whatever shirt 👚 or cap 🧢 he decides
Yoseknopr
27
Lets be real here. I'm by no means a Aston Villa supporter, but man did i wish i had a player with Emi's character in my team. He takes so much of the heat from the media and fans that you never hear about any of the other Villa players? It's simple the man has winner mentality and will do what it takes to give his team the edge to get win that is all he cares about when he represents his team. It's also not like things always go his way as well and he i man enough to take the egg off his face when it doesn't and continue being himself. Love him or hate him, he's here to stay.
Febbdemp
10
petit you need to undergo psychotherapy , we all know that French team and fans are not well mannered. Martinez said he was highly insulted by your stupid county men and here you are making such derogatory words on Martinez.You need to go for check up