Every word from Emiliano Martinez after Aston Villa penalty shoot-out controversy in Lille

Emiliano Martinez, who else? The World Cup champion was the focal point of attention away at LOSC Lille as Aston Villa progressed to the UEFA Europa Conference League final four in dramatic style.

The Villans struggled at Stade Pierre-Mauroy as Les Dogues dominated possession - and deservedly led 2-0 near the end of regular time - but a last-gasp strike from Matty Cash levelled the aggregate score at 3-3. From there, nothing could separate the two sides and a penalty shoot-out was necessary to decide the fate of the quarter-final.

Martinez, as he’s so often been throughout his career, was the spot-kick hero. Public enemy number one in France for his success with Argentina under the greatest tension in the World Cup final, Martinez thrived in the pressure cooker again with two superb saves to deny Nabil Bentaleb and Benjamin Andre.

Villa’s goalkeeping paladin mocked the Lille fans and controversially earned a second yellow card from referee Ivan Kruzliak – following on from an initial booking for time-wasting in the 39th minute. The second caution would usually equal a red but the separation between regular time and the shoot-out bizarrely spared a sending-off.

The drama was immense on the field but it has since continued off it. UEFA rules state all yellows in the quarter-finals are void for the last four but Villa understand Martinez is now suspended for the semi-final first leg against Olympiacos on May 2. This is due to three yellows across the two legs of the quarter-finals constituting a ban for the first leg of the next round.

In suspension limbo for the last-four clash at Villa Park, then, but Martinez deserves all the plaudits for his immense work helping the men in claret and blue keep the European dream alive. The Argentine, determined to lift the trophy, is immensely proud of the club’s progress.

“It feels good, I love this football club. Playing a semi-final with them is something incredible,” Martinez said post-match. “You know, my career keeps going up and up and you need to celebrate your victories. After 42 years, we have a semi-final in European competition – it’s remarkable.

“I get motivated with the fans, when they throw stuff on my back I always get up. It gives me the feel to perform. I always say that all my career and my personal performances, my team needs me in those moments. Yesterday we watched Real Madrid vs Man City, the manager has always said maybe we can go to penalties and in my head in those moments I own my box.

"This group of players and the manager is really special. The owners are really involved as well, Wes and Nassef, they are really behind us. It feels like we’re going to do something special. I don’t know if it is the Champions League or the Conference League, but we will do everything we can for this football club,” Martinez continued.

Away from the pride and onto the drama grabbing the headlines, the Villa shot-stopper wasn’t afraid to publicly display his bafflement at referee Kruzliak’s lack of control of the encounter in Lille.

"I have a reputation for time-wasting but the other goalkeeper was doing the same thing. I got booked in the first half even though we were losing the game, so I don’t know what the ref wants from me. Then, there was no ball on the penalty spot, so I was asking for a ball from the ball boy, and then I got booked - I don’t understand the rules,” Martinez concluded.