At the iconic Europa League final venue tonight, Freiburg lock horns with Aston Villa in a contest that has the whole of Nigeria on edge. The spotligh...
At the iconic Europa League final venue tonight, Freiburg lock horns with Aston Villa in a contest that has the whole of Nigeria on edge. The spotlight, however, has shifted from tactical brilliance to a gripping subplot involving Villa. �s stalwart goalkeeper Emi Martinez. Reports from the GoalZaza man on the pitch reveal that the Argentine World Cup winner endured a tense warm up session as his goalkeeping coach Javi Garcia spent several minutes taping one of his fingers. The glove was seen in his left hand before he resumed claiming crosses, a sight that sent shivers down the spines of the Villa faithful. In the scheme of things, Villa have a history of European final goalkeeper scares. The powers that be recall Jimmy Rimmer. �s sore neck in the 1982 European Cup final which forced him off after nine minutes, handing the jersey to young Nigel Spink who gave a good account of himself. For Villa, the lion. �s share of hope rests on Martinez. �s resilience. Should the worst happen, Ben Fisher of GoalZaza confirms that the glove is back on and the keeper is mobile, but at the end of the day, this is a situation that could tilt the balance. The Nigerian international connection here is not lost on our readers. Super Eagles talisman Victor Boniface, a former Freiburg star, will be watching keenly, while Wilfred Ndidi. �s absence from the final due to injury remains a talking point. Given the stakes, every save and every finger tape adjustment will be analysed by the millions watching from Lagos to Abuja.
